Cover photo for Terry Gail Sutton's Obituary
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Terry

Terry Gail Sutton

Terry Gail Sutton

, 75, of Hamilton, Illinois and Gilbert, Arizona, passed away Thursday, May 3 at 6:06 pm at Mercy Gilbert Medical Center in Gilbert, Arizona.  He was born on June 4, 1942 at the family home in Lomax, Illinois, the son of Gail and Mildred Kemp Sutton.  Terry and Judith Lynn Steffey were united in marriage on March 1, 1961 in Lomax, Illinois.  Terry and Judy were high school sweethearts and were married for 57 years.  Judy survives.  In addition to his wife, Terry is survived by two children:  Steven (Melody) Sutton of South Jordan, Utah and Tara (Gary) Sutton of Orono, Minnesota; a sister:  Sandra Sutton Schertz; and five grandchildren:  Amanda Sutton, Olivia Sutton, Matthew Martinez Sutton, Emma Martinez Sutton and Samuel Wilson.  Terry was preceded in death by his parents and brother, James Sutton.  Terry was the beloved uncle to many nieces and nephews and a devoted brother-in-law to Judy’s three sisters and brother.  Everybody loved listening to Terry’s stories and advice.

Terry graduated from Dallas City High School in 1960, where he played basketball, baseball and track.  He was also President of the Student Council.  After marrying Judy in 1961, Terry and Judy moved to Keokuk, Iowa where Terry worked at City Tire and Battery, Inc.  In 1963, they moved to Hamilton, Illinois where they raised their children and resided until 2014.  In January 1972, at the ages of 29, Terry and Judy purchased City Tire & Battery and operated it, along with their son Steve, until 2000.  Terry was a proud and successful independent tire dealer who sold auto, truck, industrial and farm tires throughout the Tri-State area, eventually also owning a store in Fort Madison, Iowa.  Beginning in 1994, Terry and Judy purchased a winter home in Arizona and became “snow birds,” moving permanently to Arizona in 2014.  After retiring, Terry was not content to simply rest.  He found a new calling as a car salesman at Big Two Mitsubishi in Mesa, Arizona from 2002 to 2012.  He rose to the title of sales manager and won many dealership awards for his sales numbers.

Terry was a member of the Hamilton Christian Church.  He served on the Board of Directors of Hamilton Home Savings & Loan and the Dealer Council for B.F. Goodrich Tire Company.  Terry was an avid sports fan, particularly of the Iowa Hawkeyes, where his daughter went to college and law school.  He loved to hunt and golf with his golfing buddies at his favorite courses, Deer Run in Hamilton and Trilogy in Arizona.  In retirement, Terry would pitch in at harvest time on the family farms in Hancock County, operating the combine. Terry and Judy literally traveled around the world during their marriage, visiting dozens of foreign countries.  But their favorite pastimes together included visiting their children and grandchildren and constantly remodeling and improving their home and yard. He was truly a man of many talents with a big heart who could fix almost any problem, of any kind, for his family and friends.

A memorial service will be held at Trilogy Golf Club on May 7.  A memorial gathering will be held in Hamilton at the Western Illinois Threshers on June 23, 2018 at 5 pm.  A memorial has been established with Friends of the Hamilton Public Library.
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