David Donald Sutton

Born on June 2, 1947 in Pontiac, Michigan to Don and Jean Sutton, Dave enlisted in the United States Air Force after graduation from high school and served during the Vietnam Era. After completing military service, Dave moved to Atlanta and began a 30-year career at Delta Airlines from which he retired as a Red Coat. Because of his quick wit and ability to calm passengers angry over flight delays, Dave was tapped to train other Delta employees in customer relations. While at Delta, Dave developed a love for aviation and became an accomplished skydiver. He enjoyed teaching others how to safely enjoy the thrill of this sport and spent free time working as an instructor at a jump school.

After meeting Cathey, the love of his life and wife of 38 years, he gave up skydiving but joked that he still kept a “packed chute” in the trunk of his car. Although no longer jumping out of planes, he enjoyed traveling on them with Cathey to nearly all 50 states including Alaska and Hawaii. Never one to be idle and able to connect with anyone, Dave enjoyed post-retirement positions with Overhead Door, Pike Nurseries, and Curry Honda where he drove the courtesy shuttle and entertained customers with his ability to find humor in even the most mundane of life’s activities.

When not working, Dave was an avid musician and enjoyed playing acoustic, bass, and electric guitars. Consistent with his lifelong Christian faith and study of the Bible, he truly loved his fellow man and was always willing to give of himself. He volunteered at the Shepherd Center, for countless projects sponsored by his church, and for anything anyone ever needed help with.

Dave enjoyed cooking for friends and family on his Big Green Egg; playing with the neighborhood children, and creating elaborate Halloween displays for their enjoyment. Always a kind and gentle soul, he never spoke a harsh word to anyone and recently built a shelter for a feral cat he found living nearby.

He is survived by his wife Cathey of Alpharetta; brother Rick Sutton and his wife Hannah of Portland, Oregon; brother Steve Sutton and his wife Pat of Indialantic, Florida; mother-in-law Elinor Hickcox of Atlanta, Georgia; brother-in-law and sister-in-law Jeff and Vicki Hickcox of Atlanta, GA; nephews, nieces, grandnieces, grandnephews, and a host of good friends.

He was a caring and wonderful husband who will be missed by all who knew him. Visitation will be from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 17 at Roswell Funeral Home, 950 Mansell Road, Roswell, GA.

A memorial service will be held on Friday, February 18, 2022 at 1:00 p.m. at Roswell Presbyterian Church, 755 Mimosa Boulevard, Roswell, GA.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to the Wounded Warrior Project or Roswell Presbyterian Church.