Marilyn B. Sutherlin

In Richmond, Indiana, Marilyn B. (Butler) Sutherlin was born into the family of Maude and Earl Butler on December 18, 1929; the fourth of their five children.  At home in Cambridge City, Indiana, brother Earl Junior, sisters Bobbie (Roberta) and Suzanne greeted her and seven years after Marilyn, baby sister Virginia completed the family.  All preceded her in death.

It was a tough time for families when Marilyn was young and the Butlers were no exception.  Early on, she contributed to the family with a paper route and later working at local Miller Dairy.  Marilyn was a shy, timid girl.  In grade school, when told to get her older sister and come home early from school, she was so fearful of knocking on the classroom door that she went crying all the way home without her, choosing instead certain punishment.  Fortunately, Marilyn was smart and a good student since homework was forbidden in the Butler household.  Sounds like every kid’s dream!  Those years saw the development of her love of music, cheerful disposition and wry sense of humor.

Marilyn was enamored with the Cherry Ames Student Nurse book series and knew nursing was her future.  She followed in eldest sister Bobbie‘s footsteps, enrolling in the St. Vincent School of Nursing in Indianapolis, graduating as a registered nurse (RN), class of 1951.  Her class photograph hangs in the hall of St. Vincent Hospital on west 86^th Street, Indianapolis, yet today.

It was in her final year of nursing school that she met the love her life, David Sutherlin, on a blind date.  Claiming it was love at first sight, Marilyn and Dave were married December 1^st, 1951, starting life together in Crawfordsville, Indiana and shortly thereafter moving to Dave’s hometown of Roachdale, Indiana.  Marilyn, eager to launch her nursing career, worked in delivery and later emergency at Culver Hospital in Crawfordsville, even through the years of adding to the family a daughter Davida and two sons Daniel and Mark.  She found her niche in surgery and developed skills that made her in demand throughout her work life, in spite of frequent relocations as her husband’s career advanced.

Marilyn was always up for a new experience and made it a family adventure to move often.  Vacation travel was a favorite pastime with family camping trips and boating.  Later, she and Dave expanded their horizons beyond the continental US, including Israel, Egypt, South America and an Alaskan cruise.

Music was a part of the Sutherlin home.  Marilyn sang in the church choir, no matter where she lived.  Marilyn and Dave enjoyed live music (Dixieland was a favorite) and dancing, developing a passion for square dance which continued well into their retirement years in Lakeland, Florida.  They traveled around the nation participating in dance conventions and even took a couple of square dance cruises.

After 20 years in the Florida sunshine, Marilyn and Dave returned to Indianapolis after Dave’s diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease.  Their happy partnership ended in 2007 with Dave’s passing and Marilyn bravely carved out a new path for herself.  She became active again in John Knox Presbyterian Church, took up water aerobics, learned to use a computer and continued the pleasures of reading and crossword puzzles.  The recent past saw a decline in her physical abilities, but her humor and optimism remained to the end.  She slipped away peacefully from this earth on Friday, January 5, 2018.

Marilyn is survived by her children; Davida S. Hutson, Daniel (Sandra) Sutherlin and Mark (Beth) Sutherlin and 4 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren. A memorial service will be held on January 20, 2018 at John Knox Presbyterian Church 3000 North High School Road at Noon with calling from 10 am to service time.  Memorial contributions may be given to either the Alzheimer’s Association or to John Knox Presbyterian Church.

Online condolences and a video tribute may be viewed at www.flannerbucnanan.com  Flanner Buchanan-Speedway are handling arrangements.