Thomas Delma Sutton

Posted on June 21, 2024

Thomas Delma Sutton, 71, of Perry died from complications of Type 1 diabetes on June 14, 2024, at Margaret Dozier Hospice House in Tallahassee. Tom was born in DeFuniak Springs to Thomas Delma Sutton Sr. and Ora Leila Scott Sutton of Ponce De Leon, Fla. At the age of two, he and his family left Florida to follow his father’s career as an ironworker, moving to multiple towns in multiple states. Tom attended more than 30 schools, graduating high school from Union School in College Corner/West College Corner, Ohio and Indiana. He cherished those College Corner memories and friends for the rest of his life. Tom returned to Florida after graduating from high school and helped care for his ailing father. After his father’s death, Tom served honorably in the U.S. Navy as a photographer’s mate. After the Navy he worked several different jobs, retiring as vice-president from Mulliniks Recycling of Jacksonville. In his spare time, he loved to garden; he especially loved growing heirloom tomatoes. Tom was a member of St. Peter’s Anglican Cathedral in Tallahassee and attended regularly until his health failed. He was preceded in death by: his parents; his sisters, C. Jane Merritt, F. Nan Richards and Sheridan L. Skoda; brothers-in-law, Clyde Merritt and John Skoda; infant brothers, Joshua and Duncan; and a niece, Kimberly Horn Glauner. He is survived by: his wife, Joan Sutton of Perry; his children, Rebecca Sheffield and her husband, Patrick, of Tallahassee and Elizabeth Eastman of Perry; his grandchildren, Natalie Eastman of Perry and Sutton, Zoe, Molly and Samuel Sheffield of Tallahassee; a granddaughter-inlove, Karlie Lynn of Jacksonville; a brother-inlaw, Ed Richards of Ohio; a niece, Debbie Clark and her husband, L.C., of Perry; nephews, George Merritt and his wife, Lisa, of Alabama, Jeff Merritt and his wife, Deborah, of Tallahassee and Rod Horn, Scott Richards and Tom Richards, all of Ohio. He is also survived by a host of cousins, greatnieces, great-nephews, great-great-nieces and gerat-great-nephews. A memorial service will be held Saturday, June 29, at 10 a.m. Burns Funeral Home of Perry with Bob Scott officiating. Inurnment at the Tallahassee National Cemetery in Tallahassee will be held on Monday, July 1, at 10 a.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Union School Alumni Association, c/o Tonya Paddock, 6675 S. County Road 200 E., West College Corner, IN 47003, or St. Peter’s Anglican Cathedral (stpetersfl.com), 4784 Thomasville Road, Tallahassee, FL 32309.