John Martin Sutton 1912-2009

SUTTON, HEITZ, MUELLER, KOPP

Posted By: Cheryl Locher Moonen (email)
Date: 5/29/2016 at 21:40:36

From the June 23, 2009 edition of the Dubuque Telegraph Herald

John Martin Sutton, 96, of 1800 Manson Road, died at 6:46 a.m. Sunday, June 21, 2009, at home.

Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, June 25, at St. Raphael's Cathedral, with Monsignor Wayne A. Ressler officiating. Burial will be in Mount Olivet Cemetery, Key West, Iowa, where military rites will be accorded by the American Legion Dubuque Post 6. Friends may call after 9:30 a.m. Thursday at the church. The Leonard Funeral Home & Crematory, 2595 Rockdale Road, is in charge of arrangements.

He was born on Sept. 9, 1912, in Dubuque, son of Nicholas and Anna (Heitz) Sutton. He married Viola Mueller on Sept. 11, 1940, at St. Theresa's Catholic Church; she preceded him in death on Oct. 24, 2005.

He attended Loras College and was a World War II Navy Veteran. He served in the Pacific and established the first Post Office in Occupied Japan. After his service to his country he continued to work for the Dubuque Post Office as a clerk and as a rural letter carrier.

He was a member of the Knights of Columbus Council 510 and a lifelong member of St. Raphael's Cathedral.

John was an avid college football fan, especially his beloved "Notre Dame" team. He also enjoyed going to Iowa and Wisconsin games. In his younger day's he loved to swim and attend dances. He met Viola, the love of his life, at a Center Grove dance, and later they attended many dances at Melody Mill. He was a fan of Big Band music especially the music of Lawrence Welk and Guy Lombardo.

Surviving are his two sons, Terrence, of Dubuque, and Tom, of Lake Geneva, Wis.; two grandchildren, Shawn (Emily) Sutton, of Davenport, Iowa, and Lizbeth "Libby" (Jay) Kopp, of Roseville, Minn.; and three great-grandchildren, Alexis, Sophia and Gabrielle.

He also was preceded in death by his parents; and sisters, Leila, Mary Ann, Jean, Kathryn and Gloria; and brothers, Paul, Robert, Bernard and Nicholas.