Donald Richard Sutton

Donald Richard Sutton passed away January 4th, 2015 at his home in Clark Fork, Idaho. He was born in South St. Paul, Minnesota on January 21, 1930, the third son of Leslie and Helen Krull. At 11 months of age, and during the hard times of the great Depression, he was given to Lewis and Julia Hallouin Sutton, who raised him as their only child and eventually adopted him when he was 21 years old. Over the years, he maintained contact with his two natural brothers, Raymond Krull of St. Paul, Minnesota, and Edwin Krull of Kokomo, Indiana, and their families. Don married Alice Joyce Fjermestad December 30, 1950, and they had two daughters – Julie Ann (Sutton) Schulz and Susan Renée Sutton. He joined the U.S. Air Force in 1951 and served his country for 20 years as a jet aircraft mechanic, a job he loved. He served at posts in Texas, Okinawa, Minnesota, Vietnam, and finally, Edwards AFB in California. He and Alice retired to Clark Fork at the end of his military career and he found work at the Clark Fork School as a janitor. He and Alice then bought and worked at the Texaco gas station in Clark Fork. Later, Don went to work for the Washington Water Power Company (now Avista) at the Cabinet Gorge Dam near Clark Fork and at the Long Lake and Little Falls Dams in Washington. He permanently retired after 15 years with Avista. Don loved airplanes. He began building models of them as a boy, went on to earn a pilot’s license as a teenager, and then kept them airworthy in the military. In later years, Don enjoyed life in Clark Fork - fishing, reading history, golfing, and volunteering at the Clark Fork Senior Center, where he helped maintain the building and delivered meals for their “Meals on Wheels” program. He and Alice kept their home and yard in fine trim – flowers each spring and a well-stocked woodpile each winter. He loved his meat and potatoes, and made certain the fireplace never went out when the snow stood deep outside. Before Alice passed in 2011, they were active members of the Clark Fork Lutheran Church. He is survived by his two daughters – Julie Schulz (Eric) and Susan Sutton, two brothers – Ray and Ed Krull, five grandchildren – Eliza and Andrea Schulz; Ali, Hunter, and Tessa Sutton; and numerous Krull and Sutton family members. Don and Alice will rest at the Clark Fork Cemetery. A graveside memorial service will be scheduled at a later date.