Albert William Sutton

Al, or “Junior”, as lovingly known by his family, was born on July 13, 1968, in Kankakee, Illinois, to Albert and Leslie Sutton. As a child he loved to go fishing with his grandmother and to work on the farm with his grandfather. He loved working on and racing his 68 Mustang and motorcycles. Al gained his love and knowledge of music through his parents and their DJ business. His personality truly shined while he danced and DJed as Mix-Master DJ. Al graduated from Pine Forest Senior High School, Fayetteville, North Carolina in 1986.

On April 15, 1987, Al joined the United States Army at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Upon completion of Basic Training and Advanced Individual Training, he was awarded the military occupational specialty of 76C and assigned as a maintenance supply specialist at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. He was deployed in direct support of Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm, Southwest Asia; Operation Joint Forge, Camp Bedrock, Bosnia; Operation Enduring Freedom, Southwest Asia; and Operation Iraqi Freedom, Southwest Asia.

His 21 years of service also included HHT 2/17 Calvary, Fort Campbell, KY; HHC 22nd Signal Brigade, Darmstadt, Germany; 298th Maintenance Company, Altoona, PA; HHC 2-8 Armor 1st Calvary Division, Fort Hood, TX; HHC 1/72 Armor Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division, Korea; 3rd Battalion, 43rd Air Defense Artillery (Patriot) 11th Brigade, Fort Bliss, TX; and retiring in 2008 as Sergeant First Class (SFC) at the DRMS Mainz Kastel, Germany.

His military awards and decorations include the Bronze Star, Joint Service Commendation Medal (2nd Award), Army Commendation Medal (8th award), Army Achievement Medal (7th Award), NATO Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal (6th Award), National Defense Service Medal, Southwest Asia Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Korea Defense Service Medal, the Noncommissioned Officer Development Ribbon (2nd Award), the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Ribbon (3rd Award), Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kingdon of Saudi Arabia), Kuwait Liberation Medal (Government of Kuwait), and the Driver’s Badge. He was a member of the Honorable Order of Saint Barbara for Artillerymen and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. As he was retiring, he was selected as the Office of the Secretary of Defense Senior Enlisted Member of the Year.

During his military years, Al met his former spouse, Jordene Hoover; they had two beautiful children: Andrew and Jordina. After many years of marriage, they divorced, and Al moved to Mainz Kastel, Germany. He retired from the military in 2008 and began working for the Department of Defense as a civilian in Germany.

In March 2011, he met his wife, Tammy Lamansky. They were soul mates and inseparable from the moment they met. They enjoyed spending time with friends, traveling, going to festivals and Christmas markets, and of course the food. In 2014, they returned to the states but were temporarily apart from each other due to separate duty locations. Tammy would visit often, and they talked every day and night.

Al continued to work for the Department of Defense until his disability retirement from combat related issues and moved to Davenport, IA, to be with Tammy. They treasured spending life together, getting their puppy, spending time with his children, and the arrival of his first grandchild.

Al was exceptionally intelligent, friendly, compassionate, caring, funny, enthusiastic, and had an infectious laugh. He was a social butterfly and had an uncanny ability to make friends anywhere and with anyone. He spoke many languages, and his knowledge of computers, music, cult classics, pop culture, and comedic wit kept us all on our toes.

Surviving are his wife, Tamara Lee Lamansky; his two children, son, Andrew Sutton and fiancé, Kanilehua Pratt, and their son, Ezrah, and daughter, Jordina Sutton of Davenport, IA. He is also survived by his father, Albert W. Sutton and wife, Elaine of TN; his mother, Leslie Sutton of TX; brother, Keith Sutton of VA; and four sisters, Kim Sutton of IL, Ludie Kirk of AL, Debra Wilson of Italy, and Elizabeth Hernandez of TX.

On October 26, 2023, from 12:00 to 12:45 p.m. CT, a funeral service to celebrate his life will be held at Runge Mortuary, 1022 E. 39th Street, Davenport, IA 52807. Pastor Curtis Lamansky will preside. Visitation will be from 10:00 to 11:45 a.m. CT, and a graveside ceremony will follow the funeral at 2 p.m. in the Rock Island National Cemetery located at the Rock Island Arsenal, Rock Island, IL 61299.

In lieu of flowers, memorials honoring his life can be made to the Foundation for Sarcoidosis, www.stopsarcoidosis.org. Please Share a favorite memory, photo or condolences below.