David L. Sutherland

David Lee Sutherland, age 79, of Loveland, Colorado passed away peacefully at Pathways Inpatient Care Center in Ft. Collins, CO on Tuesday, September 12, 2023, from complications related to multiple autoimmune diseases.

David was born on February 13, 1944 in Aurora, Illinois. He was one of three children born to Raymond F. Sutherland and Lucille A. (Molitor) Sutherland. David and his sister, Gail, grew up in St. Charles, Illinois, where they completed high school. Their brother, Bruce, passed away at few months old. Following graduation, David attended Colorado State University and graduated in 1967 with a Bachelor of Science degree. Dave pursued his Master’s Degree in Fisheries Science at the University of Washington. He was drafted in 1968 and served for two years in the United States Army. David proudly worked as a Fishery Biologist for the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Marine Fisheries Service for 36 years.

On August 28, 1980, David married Susan Ledyard Mock, in Coral Gables, Florida. David and Susan welcomed one child, a son, Shawn in 1983. Both David and Susan were career NOAA employees and relocated from jobs in Miami to Silver Spring, Maryland in 1989 and then to Boulder, CO but living in Loveland in 2001.

David was loving, kind, and generous. He was intelligent and remembered so many factoids that he joked that he knew everything that was important. If he didn’t know something, he claimed that it wasn’t important. He was adventuresome, funny, and easy going. David lived an active life despite having a heart attack at age 38, now thought to be due to his undiagnosed autoimmune diseases. Despite this, Dave battled back many times and enjoyed skiing, hiking, biking, traveling, snorkeling and scuba diving and wildlife photography. His favorite bucket trip was visiting the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador. He also enjoyed less adventurous activities such as solving Sudoku and crossword puzzles, playing chess, watching football games and being a serial cat parent.

David was an exceptional man, a loving husband, supportive father and grandfather, and a faithful friend. He will be dearly missed. He leaves behind his wife of 43 years, Susan Ledyard Sutherland, son, Shawn Kelly Sutherland of Loveland, his wife, Jessica, and their children, Kellen David, Hadley Reese, and Maisy Lola Sutherland. David is also survived by his sister, Gail Francois, Greeley, CO, niece, Andrea Raasch, Greeley, and nephew, Richard “Andy” Raasch (Jana) Boynton Beach, FL; his aunt Gloria Molitor, Geneva, IL, and cousins, Karen Marrs (Greg) of Ft. Lupton, CO, and Lois Gondos, Elgin, IL; former sister-in-law Karen Harenberg, Inman, SC, and indispensable friend, Thomas Scott, Greeley, as well as numerous other family and friends. David was preceded in death by his parents, Raymond F. Sutherland, and Lucille A. Sutherland Kimm, by his baby brother, Bruce, by his brother-in-law, Richard Francois, his father-in-law, Kenneth C. Ledyard, mother-in-law, Evelyn P. Agnew, and brother-in-law Bruce E. Ledyard.

In accordance with David’s wishes, no services will be held. He asked that his ashes be scattered in Rocky Mountain National Park. Charitable donations in his honor are encouraged to Pathways Hospice of Northern Colorado, 305 Carpenter Rd, Fort Collins, CO 80525 or The Lupus Foundation of America, 212 K Street NW, Washington, DC, 20037. Memories of David and words of condolence for his family are welcome www.resthaven.com