Legendary actress found dead this morning after an “unexpected accident” while out for a walk near her home in Washington

Anne Whitfield, best known for her role as Susan Waverly in the 1954 holiday classic *White Christmas,* has passed away at 85. She died following an “unexpected accident” during a walk near her home in Washington, D.C. Whitfield’s family remembered her as someone who dedicated her life to uplifting others.

After leaving Hollywood in the 1970s, she focused on activism and environmental causes while remaining devoted to her three children and seven grandchildren. Born in Oxford, Mississippi, in 1938, Whitfield began acting in radio dramas as a child and continued her career in film and television throughout the decades.