Robert Sutton

Robert Leon Sutton was born at home in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma on February 21, 1949, to Lewis Sutton and Dorothy Williams Sutton. He loved growing up in Wagoner County and attending the one and then two room Oak Grove Schoolhouse. He would tell stories of milking the cows before school and playing baseball at lunch sometimes when an adult would come to pitch to them, as well as when the boys were gathered up to help fight fires. He talked about the pie suppers to raise money for the Christmas Program and we can’t forget the outhouse. He was very entrepreneurial and would sometimes pick fruit on the way to school to later sell to the neighbors. His time at the school was special. In 9th grade he transitioned to the Broken Arrow High School. He always had a job and one of those included buffing the floors at the high school on the weekends and during school breaks. He frequented Orbit’s Drive-In and could often be found at lunch grabbing a burger from Frank’s. He had a group of close guy friends and they found more than their share of trouble to get into but of course, that’s all hearsay. The only thing he would admit to was absconding with a watermelon, after dark of course, from a watermelon patch south of town. He hauled hay off practically every square inch of Broken Arrow and half of Coweta. He wanted to go to college but times were different then and there wasn’t any money for him to go to school. He actually drove to Miami to enroll at NEO but changed his mind. Soon, Uncle Sam came calling and he was drafted into the Vietnam War. As it did with many young men, the War changed him. He was no longer the innocent kid from Oak Grove. He was an infantryman in the Army. He was a machine gunner and spent time in both the 101st Airborne and the 25th Infantry. He fought in both Vietnam and Cambodia. His friend Beaver said he was “a hell of a fighter.” During his service he was awarded the Army Commendation Medal with “V” Device, the Vietnam Service Medal with 4 Bronze Service Stars, the Combat Infantry Badge, and the Vietnam Campaign Medal with 60 Device. The V on the Army Commendation Medal stands for Valor. It denotes participation in acts of heroism, with great personal risk, involving conflict with an armed enemy. He was a hero. He never talked about his time in Vietnam until he was found by his brethren from the 25th Infantry. Attending their reunions and reconnecting with friends from the Service was very cathartic for him. Upon returning from Vietnam, he proposed to Emily Thompson. They were married on September 26th, 1970. He was stationed at Fort Carson, Colorado at the time. After the wedding, Emily accompanied him back to Fort Carson to finish his required, stateside service. Although their marriage didn’t last, his love for her was eternal. In the early days of his marriage, he was a plumber but it didn’t take him long to move on to a career in welding. He was well known for his welding ability and was often called on to weld exotic metals and to repair the work of other welders. To illustrate how talented he was, he could weld two razor blades together. He did all kinds of special projects for businesses including Wal-Mart and Sutherland’s Lumber. He was a welding inspector at the time of his retirement. Three children were born of his marriage and they were the lights of his life. He spent his entire adult life in service to his children. He made tremendous sacrifices so they could have better lives. He worked hard to provide for them and raise them right. He instilled in them a love for the family land, nature, gardening, wild birds, and animals. Over the years, he had cattle, horses, pigs, rabbits, chickens, ducks, turkeys, dogs, and even a pet raccoon. He was especially fond of dogs and had several great ones during his life. He was especially close to two of them, Cocoa and Licious. He loved working cattle with Cocoa and having her around to guard the place and to keep a close eye on his Mom. Licious was his best friend and constant companion. You never saw one without the other. They were two peas in a pod and shared a very special bond. While initially thinking he was too young to be a PaPa, he was overjoyed with the birth of his two granddaughters. He retired right as they came along and was able to spend a great deal of time with them, much to his delight. Having them live next door was an added bonus. He did everything with them. He went to their school carnivals and school events such as pumpkin painting night. He never missed a band recital. He took them for walks and to go swimming. He took them to look at Christmas lights and to visit museums. He even took them to the anime convention, Tokyo in Tulsa. He always made sure they had everything they needed and wanted. He spoiled them rotten. Most of all, he was a constant loving and supportive presence in their lives and much to the chagrin of his children, he let them get away with a lot more than his kids ever did. He couldn’t be outdone when it came to smoking meats. He built his own smoker and the quality of his cooking was unmatched. If you ever laid a tongue to any of his cooking, you were lucky. He loved a good garage or estate sale. It was even better when his kids tagged along. There was usually a deal to be had that was just too good to pass up. He was a proud man and they didn’t come any tougher. A more stubborn person has never been born. His strength of will knew no bounds. He could be hard to get along with sometimes. He had a hard outer shell but the softest, kindest heart beneath it. He would give you the shirt off his back and was always there to help. He was a generous man in every way. A better friend could not be found. He was always right, just ask him, and the few times he was wrong, he was still mostly right. He was as opinionated as they come and would argue with a fence post. He never backed down from anything life threw at him. He endured much for his family. He will be missed by all who were fortunate enough to know him, especially by his children and grandchildren. However, he gave them enough love and strength to last them the rest of their lives. Bob is survived by: Daughters: Michelle Sutton of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma Dottie Sutton of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma Son: John Lewis Sutton and Jacquelyn Morris of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma Grandchildren: Johnna Sutton, Jaden Sutton Bonus Grandchildren: Heaven Cason, Petra Lagunas Daughter-in-Law: Contessa Cason Kraft Sisters: Mildred Ramsey and Ronnie, Jannie Martin Brothers: Frank Gray, Sr., Elzie Gray Brother-in-Law: Anthony Rankin and Donna Numerous Nieces and Nephews He was preceded in death by: Parents: Lewis and Dorothy Sutton Ex-Wife: Emily Sutton Beloved Dog: Licious

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Robert Sutton

February 21, 1949 - November 15, 2022