William “Bill” Lee Sutton passed away peacefully at his home in Peshastin, Wash., on June 15, 2015. Bill was born on May 5, 1932 in Yakima, Wash.
After graduating from Davis high school he attended Washington State University, where he was a member of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity and a Cougar through and through. Bill served his country in the U.S. Army and was proud to be an honorably discharged Korean War Veteran. Bill returned to Yakima after his discharge and went to work in the family business, Rosser and Sutton Office Supply. He met and married Dorothy “Sue” Dake on June 17, 1956. In 1972 he purchased The Craftsman Office Supply and Printing in Wenatchee. They lived in Yakima until 1977 then moved to their summer house on Orcas Island. It was at that time that Bill decided to retire at the ripe age of 45. They later sold their Office Supply Businesses.
Sue was diagnosed with cancer in 1981. They spent the remainder of their life together entertaining, traveling, enjoying life, friends and family while squeezing in a little work in here and there. After Sue’s death Bill had the good fortune of falling in love again and was married to Ann Darlene Marney on August 3, 1996, on Orcas. Bill and Ann enjoyed a loving and adventurous life together filled with family, friends’ sweet pets and many new homes.
Retirement for Bill was not your normal retirement. He kept busy, building several houses for himself over the years taking on various new small business opportunities. In the early ‘90s, he opened the UPS Store franchises in Wenatchee and East Wenatchee, which he and Ann still own. He was one of the founding members and past board member of Islanders Bank on Orcas Island.
Bill was a member of Kiwanis, Yakima’s Honored 1963 “Boss of the Year,” 1967 Exalted Ruler of the Yakima Elks Club 318, past Governor of the National Office Products Association, past Commodore of the Orcas Island Yacht Club, a founding member of the White Pass Ski Area and a founding member of the Orcas Island Tennis Club.
Throughout his life Bill enjoyed tennis, snow and water skiing, horseback riding, hunting, sailing and motorboating in the San Juan Islands and Canada, salmon fishing, crabbing, snowmobiling, hot rods, RVing and traveling. Most of all Bill loved to laugh and tell jokes while entertaining friends and family with the woman he loved by his side.
Bill was a resident of Peshastin, Wash. in the summers and Casa Grande, Ariz. in the winter months. Bill loved buying and selling homes and over the years has had them in Yakima, Orcas, Mazatlán, Mexico, LaConner, Wash., Leavenworth, Wash., Wenatchee, Indio, Calif. and Newport, Wash. On more than one occasion, he had several at a time, keeping everyone guessing where they were or where they were heading next.
Bill was preceded in death by his father William A. Sutton and mother Orlou Ganson-Sutton and his wife Sue and step-daughter Shae Walker. He is survived by his wife Ann, daughter Catherine Resch and husband Timothy Resch, daughter Mary Shaefer and husband Daniel Shaefer, son William “Brian” Sutton and wife Donna Sutton, step-daughter Heather Marney, his grandchildren Sarah Russell, Samantha Coy and husband Dustin Coy, Jessica and Caitlin Sutton, Bryce and Devin Walker, Hatchford Shaefer, Chase and Alexandrea Resch, and six great-grandchildren, Adrienne, Natalie, Preston, Byron and Wesley Coy, Alex Walker and his godson Gunnar Nettleship.
Bill was faithful, generous, loving, impulsive and fun. He was an exceptional man who lived a beautiful life. He believed with conviction that there was always another great adventure and new friend around the next bend.
For all who knew and loved Bill there will be a celebration of his life and his new “greatest adventure” on July 11 from 4 to 8 p.m. at 7830 Brender Canyon Road, Cashmere, Wash. Contact Cathy at 509-663-3771 to let us know if you plan to attend and how many. Donations may be made in his honor to: The Wellness Place or Hospice, both of Wenatchee.
Bill’s family would like to say a special thank you to his medical caregivers, Dr. Batenneger and Dr. Stenck of Arizona and Dr. Samuel Ortiz of Wenatchee.
