Jerry Sutherland

A Waukegan native, Jerry graduated from Waukegan High School in 1958, and he received his Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from Northern Illinois University (NIU) in 1964. He met his wife, Sandra, in the common cafeteria of the dorms of NIU in 1961. They were married in 1963, finishing their last semester of college together and starting a family.

He worked as an Analytical Chemist at Abbott Laboratories in North Chicago for 35 years before retiring in 1995.

Jerry loved being active. He started playing tennis in his early 30's and continued to play competitively for about 30 years. He was a member of Love 40 and Abbott tennis leagues. He became an avid mall walker at Gurnee Mills in his retirement. Jerry had a beautiful singing voice, ranging from bass to tenor, and he sang as a member of the Swedish Glee Club from 1998 to 2015. He enjoyed reading, movies, attending concerts/plays, and travel (especially out West). He also had a lifelong love of learning, spending hours at the library every Saturday morning, devouring information on any topic that interested him. He also volunteered at Friends of the Library delivering books to house-bound seniors.

Jerry will be remembered by family and friends for his kindness, integrity, work ethic, easy-going nature, infectious laugh, engaging wink, and his talent for whistling a tune. Jerry is survived by his wife of 60 years, Sandra; his children, Carey (James) Flynn, Lorey Sutherland, Derek (Melissa) Sutherland, and Kevin (Lori) Sutherland; his grandchildren, Ryan and Connor Flynn, and Luke, Makenna, and Meleah Sutherland; and his brothers, Gerald and Wallace Sutherland. He was preceded in death by his father, Buford; mother, Clara "June" Pierce; and stepfather, Earl Pierce.

Private services will be held. He will be interred at Ascension Cemetery in Libertyville.