I remember Papa always  working on something at the house.  Whether it was tending the  garden, his boat,  his shed, the worm bed, butterflies, cleaning fish,  cleaning the pool, or repairing a bike.  Papa always had a project.  When he wasn't doing something at home, Papa and Nana made it to every game, graduation, recital, meet, and function no matter the location or weather.  My absolute favorite was waking up early Christmas morning to Papa playing old Christmas cassettes and singing around the house while the coffee was brewing in the background.  Another memory was watching him clean fish on the canal.  I'm not even sure why, since I don't like to fish.  Also, bringing in fruit and vegetables that he grew as he took delight in sharing his harvest.  Whenever someone stopped by, family or friend, he always offered them something...  He was so kind and giving to so many people.  What I will miss the most is  the genuine love I felt when I was with him.  The way he greeted me with open arms and a kiss on the cheek, I truly felt love.  Papa just wanted his family around.  One of the last things he said to me was "Do you all gather?"  I pray that we continue to do just that in his memory.

On our way home we tried one more time to throw our nets, but he said I could be in the front this time and he was in the back. That did not work, we caught no fish, and he fell off the back of the boat. I tried to pull him in the boat, and I fell out while he made it in. We laughed and were soaking wet but that was the best day with my Papa. Eight days ago, I asked him if he remembered that day and he said yes, you caught two fish.

Papa has seen so much throughout his lifetime; He has traveled the world, seen war, colored television, the internet, to iPhones but what he taught me was that sometimes the simplest things in life are the best memories; family time, gardens, a ball game, and two fish.

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My two favorite memories of Papa came in my adult life. The first was at one of my college softball games in Texas. Him and Nana had been to countless games of mine before but this one surprised me. I had no idea anyone would even be able to make it to the game because it was in Texas. It was the first game of the day, and I had just hit a home run. I remember running around the bases and when I crossed Homeplate I looked up and down the sidewalk, I could see Nana and Papa waving and cheering and walking as fast as they could to get to my field. Eight days ago, he asked me if I remember him coming to Texas and I knew he meant that moment.

After I was done playing ball, I had some more free time, and I promised Papa I would go fishing with fishing. That seemed like an easy task, but it wasn’t. The weather conditions, tide, and Nana’s approval all had to come together for a go. One day just him and I finally made it on the water. He had to be in his seventies at the time, so this wasn’t exactly an easy trip. But we did it. We traveled all through McGill Bay, and he told me where every fishing hole he knew was. That day we were throwing cast nets, and he was older, so his balance was off. He would stand on the front of the boat, and I was on the back. He had spotted some mullet, and he said, “alright there they are” and he pointed to the front and to his left. He said, “I’m going to throw on the count of three and you’re going to throw off the back and to the right”. As you can imagine my facial expressions were definitely questioning this decision, the competitor in me was saying this is not fair, I thought dang I’m not going to catch a fish, but I did like he said anyhow, and he caught four mullet, and I caught two. He was so excited I caught those fish we had mullet flopping everywhere and he showed me again and again how to exactly break their necks. 

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Papa had a shed out back that was truly his man cave. It was dark and had everything in it. He never really let me in it, but it was like a magician’s magic bag. If you wanted to fish, he brought out the minnow catcher. If you wanted to ride a bike, he brought out a bike he fixed up. If you wanted to dig for worms, he brought you tools and a bucket.

I loved digging for worms with Papa. Papa’s worm bed was off the side of the shed but to get to it you had to walk through a jungle trail of banana trees and rock walk path. Papa had so many worms from when he would pole fish. He would bring back the worms he didn’t use and throw them in the bed. One time we ordered these big red worms so we could catch a big giant fish. We never caught fish with them. They were too big, and I think they ate our other worms.

Catching minnows in the minnow catcher was my absolute favorite. It was like a metal basket trap. We would put a piece of bread in it and throw it in the creek behind the house. We had to let the trap sit for a bit so once it was in the water it was off to jump in the pool.

Pool time was the best time. Everyone has had pool time with Papa. He always, no matter how old he got, went swimming. He would come out to the patio and go stand at the deep end. When everyone was watching he would dive in and swim to the other side. From the time we all were little, Papa always told us how to swim and went over the pool rules. Always make scoops with your hands, blow bubbles and kick, kick, kick, and absolutely no running around the pool.

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Papa

Looking back at all the pictures and great memories there are so many things you did to make us feel loved. You had a curiosity about you to constantly learn new things whether it was keeping up with world politics, the stock market, horticulture techniques, sports, fishing reports.

When you walk into Papa’s house you say “hello anyone home” even though you knew they were. Papa, if he was in his chair, would put the newspaper down and say, “hello we are in here”. Sitting by Papa you got a briefing on what was going on in the world. Whatever topic he was reading about or watching on TV, that was the topic of the day. Topics for end of couch closest to Papa’s chair included stock markets, what the Dow Jones was doing, why it was important to earn money so you could invest it. If it was an election year it was weeks of political viewpoints and the importance of voting. Always and update on the weather and later in the year topics turned into the Little League and College Softball World Series.

If Papa was not in his chair, you knew he was out back in the back yard. The backyard was Papa’s declared area, and I loved it. The man could grow anything, he spent countless hours out there burning debris, cleaning fish, smoking mullet, and learning how to transplant grass, stag horns, orchids, and a variety of plants and of course his butterfly garden.

If you needed plants, Papa was your guy; and since we have such a big family, he always made sure he had a plant of every kind for everyone flowerpot included. Your first introduction to Papa’s Garden was picking carrots or black berries. I always thought picking carrots was cool cause I mean how many people grow carrots anymore? He also grew tomatoes, onions, peppers, squash, and mustards and he had multiple fruit trees.

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I am “Butch”  Ernest Kirchhoff’s youngest child.   Uncle Richard was daddy’s favorite.   And 1 of my favorites. He was a wonderful loving uncle.  I am so sorry for the family’s loss. I am sure Aunt Marion , Gram (Rosa) and Daddy “Butch” greeted him with open arms. Love to all

My Dad was a Navigator.
For those who are unaware, a Navigator is the person who directs the route of an aircraft especially by using instruments and maps. Dad would say that a pilot only had to steer and land the aircraft but he needed the Navigator to tell him how to get from point A to point B once they were in the air. 
One day, I sat down with Dad to teach him how to use his computer. Dad could do a lot of things well, but using tech was not one of them. I became increasingly aware of this as I went over the basics of how to copy and paste, set up folders, start apps, etc. I thought to myself, "This isn't that hard. How can a man who can fly a plane over the ocean, in the dark of night, using only the stars and some charts to guide him, and then land safely on the other side, have so much difficulty understanding the basic concepts of using a computer?"
It was then I realized how unique my dad was. There are a lot of people who can use a computer, but how many can say their dad could fly a plane over the ocean, in the dark of night, using only the stars and some charts to guide him, and then land safely on the other side.
When people ask me what my Dad did in the Service, I don't tell them he flew planes. I tell them, "My dad was a Navigator!" 
Godspeed Dad! Enjoy the stars! Give Mom a hug and a kiss for all of us! Until we meet again on the other side!

Papa Sutton and great grandson Liam Sutton

With our deepest condolences.
This may be a dark time right now, but you will soon be able to see the light in the memories you all have had with your father.  So sorry for your loss. You are all in our thoughts and prayers.

Jim - Kim - Taylor & Connor Hoy

Dad,  
It's hard to believe you are gone.  I take great comfort in knowing that you are with mama.  She's been waiting for you.
You touched a lot of people's lives, dad, and I wonder if you ever knew how much people thought of you.  I did and it made me so very proud.
I miss you and mama terribly.
All my love, Lisa

To the Fritz and Sutton Families. Fred and I are so very very sorry for your loss. I remember  the last time we saw him was Thanksgiving at the Fritz house in 2023. He was such an interesting, kind man.  He was quite the hero and we thank him for his service.  Prayers  sent in this time of need.

To Papa
Sir you were a man I always looked up to, as a husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather.  The legacy you started will only blossom as the years go by.   Everyone that knew you and loved you will always say you loved your family, friends, America and the United States Air Force.  
I remember our many golfing outings, being on your team in the City tournaments for about 3 years, sorry I wasn't as good as you or we could have won a few.  During our golfing, if I ever lost site of you, you would pop out of the woods telling me, "boy-howdie, I found 3 more golf balls."
I first met you  around 1989, then, and to this day, I haven't met a kinder, gentler or loving man then you. Sir, with a heavy heart, I salute you !
God bless you 
Major Richard Sutton.

There's a lot of words to describe you. A hero, an inspirataion, a wonderful human being. I will always remember all the butterflies we cared for, all the lessons learned, and every story you told. I remember all the different Christmas eve parties we had at the house where I would impatiently ask you when we were opening presents when Nana told me later just to see if I could get the answer I wanted to hear. I remember taking morning trips to Burger King just because you wanted to see how I was. Your love of sports and that you couldn't miss a Palmetto high school football game or a softball game. I remember you telling me what things the great grandkids were up to and seeing the twinkle in your eye as you told me about was new in the family. I remember you letting me keep George the fish in your tank when we had to get rid of ours so I wouldn't have to be sad about him being to big for his tank. I remember the days you had me come out with you to your mullet cookouts with your friends and all the nice things they had to say about you. I didn't understand why you wanted me to come with you but in hindsight I'm glad you had me join you. Though we may be apart for now, I know that when I salute you like you taught me you'll be there in the other side to salute me back. I love you more than you could ever imagine.

Peyton always made sure to Salute papa before we left or got off a video call.

Sarah’s Basic Training Graduation June 2017

Papa played such a pivotal role in my life, from learning about seatbelt safety as a child and making sure he followed the rules before backing out of the driveway, to becoming an exemplary airman from hearing and seeing his passion for the service. I stayed at Nana and Papas house for much of my childhood between never going to daycare (I don’t know why my mother paid, I never went) to sleepovers with Jeorgia where we would get scolded in the church pews for staying up all night and falling asleep during the service. Papa and I had many of our own adventures, we went through a pretty bad accident together, we took many drives to MacDill and stopping by the strawberry fields to get a Strawberry Milkshake, he would pull over on the side of the road so I can pick up the pots because we couldn’t pass up a good pot for the plants, and so many others. Throughout my life, I would hear the most amazing stories of his adventures in the Air Force, so much so that it inspired me to join so I could have my own stories to tell one day and I was fortunate enough to be stationed at places he was as well. Every time I saw him he would make sure to let me know how proud he was of me and what a beautiful family John and I created. I am so blessed to have known and been related to such an amazing man as my Papa. As painful as it is, I’m happy that he is finally with Nana and I know everyday they are looking down on all of us.

OBITUARY

Major Richard H. Sutton USAF (Ret)

October 26, 1928 – September 26, 2024

Groover Funeral Home at Mansion Memorial Park

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