Wanda Lee Sutton

Wanda shed her earthly shell and ascended into the warm loving hands of our Master, January 19, 2008 following a brief illness at home in Jonesboro, never again to be bound by earthly ties, never again to feel the pains of advancing age.

Wanda was born in Jonesboro, January 2, 1925 to Nellie & Armstead Coleman
Being an only child she was the apple of her fathers eye.

She graduated from Jonesboro High School in 1943 with honors. After graduation she met and married her first husband the late Jack Thomas Hoskins of Jonesboro, the couple had two daughters. This marriage did not survive and Wanda became a working mother of two, she worked several jobs in retail and bookkeeping.

Wanda met a young soldier home after World War II fell in love and married May 31, 1952. Her working experiences expanded into office and business management, she and her husband owned and managed Pete’s restaurant, these experiences gave her a unique business prospective. She went to college and obtained her Real Estate Brokers License founding Sutton Realty, Jonesboro’s first ERA real estate company, later became president of the Local Board of Realtors, and the following year was selected Jonesboro’s Realtor of the Year.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 54 years, “her darlin” as she called him J.C. Sutton, and her parents Armstead and Nellie Coleman.

Who knows, maybe the life of adventure started because of the depression and the acceptance that there was no way but up? With parents who had a deep-rooted faith in the almighty and a strong work ethic these experiences gave her the base on which to build a glorious future.

Wanda enjoyed travel, she and her husband to be would go to the Peabody Hotel in Memphis to participate in dance contests, the Jitterbug was still the rage. After her marriage and the arrival of her twins Terry and Jerry life shifted to a faster pace. There were the weekend trips to the lake, or a local hot spot to hear the boys play in the rock-n-roll band, or a track meet to cheer them on. These were followed by a Trip to Bermuda with her husband, Cruise the Caribbean with her daughter, multiple trips to Alaska one of which was a road trip with her son, his family including the dog from Anchorage across Canada to the US and on to Jonesboro. The Worlds Fair in Knoxville Tennessee with daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter on to the Carolina’s to dig in the mud looking for Rubies, to Las Vegas with her son-in-law for an ERA convention a quick trip to Chicago to close a real estate deal. After retirement, off to the Gulf Coast with friends, Lake Norfolk on many occasions with her mother and daughter and recently sojourned to Little Rock, to visit her granddaughter and the Clinton Library (being a loyal Democrat.) So the adventure continued for over six decades, and the memories grew and grew, not just for Wanda but also for all those she touched.

Wanda enjoyed the outdoors, fished with her brother in law, studied painting, became a prolific artist, featuring still life works in several different mediums, worked in ceramics and enjoyed numerous crafts sewing, needlework, first out of necessity and later for enjoyment. She passed these talents on to other members of her family. The computer age challenged and encouraged her to write her own family history giving a unique insight for the generations of Suttons to follow.

Survived by two loving and dedicated sons and daughters in law Jerry and Laura Sutton, and Terry and Jennifer Sutton both of Jonesboro. Two daughters Jackie Johnson of Cash, AR. and Cheryl L. Doyle of Jonesboro, Eleven Grand Children, and four great grand children brothers in law, sisters in law, nieces and nephews. We, her family including Pedie (her dog), will miss her but she leaves us with a treasure trove of wonderful memories.

Wanda led an active and full life; being blessed with a great sense of humor a special wit and a love of chocolate.

Grandsons Bobby Johnson, Shawn Johnson, Mark Johnson, Jessie Sutton, Cooper Shayne Sutton, and grandson in law Jeremy Harris will serve as Pallbearers.

Funeral services will be 10 a.m. Wednesday at Emerson’s Funeral Home Chapel in Jonesboro with Ernest Coleman officiating. Internment will follow at Oaklawn Cemetery. Visitation will be 5 – 7 p.m. Tuesday January 22, 2008 at Emerson Funeral Home in Jonesboro.

Far in the Golden Somewhere,
Over Death’s Sea:
‘Mid shining hosts of Angels.
Loved ones, She waits for thee.