Theresa Maria Sutherland

Theresa was the 9th child of 14 children of Clifton and Ethel Pascascio. She was born on Thursday, the 13th of December, 1956 in the beautiful Stann Creek Valley. Theresa was a beautiful, quiet, kind, caring, mild tempered, very obedient girl with a thick head of jet black hair. She was always smiling.

Her early childhood education started at St. Matthews Anglican Primary School in Pomona Village, to St Michael’s Anglican Primary School In Mango Creek, to Libertad, to Pomona and finally settled in Belmopan where she attended the Belmopan Comprehensive High School. After graduation, Theresa accepted a job at the Ministry of Social Services, Labor & Local Government in Belmopan.

Theresa accepted the Lord Jesus Christ in 1968 when she was twelve years old. And on the 19thApril, 1970 she was baptized by Pastor Rhaburn in Stann Creek Valley. She attended church regularly. Sunday school and Youth meetings were a must. She was also a member of the Sheil’s Memorial Church choir as Theresa continued to walk in the reverential fear of the Lord.

It was during these years of employment, she was introduced to a dashingly handsome guy from Orange Walk, Frank Sutherland Jr. He knocked her off her feet and they fell madly in love. This relationship was mostly long distance as Frank was at that time serving in the US Marine Corps. Sister Valerie can recall Theresa getting love letters almost every day. When she received those letters, she would cover herself with her sheet and enjoy those sweet words. This courtship, however, was short-lived as her handsome Prince with the gold tooth came and asked for her hand in marriage. On the 20th of May, 1978, they tied the knot at Orange Walk Bible Chapel, and she became Mrs. Theresa Sutherland. Seven days after the wedding, she migrated to the United States with her husband and started a new life as the wife of a Marine in North Carolina.

This union lasted for 46 years having three children: Franklin, Trisha and Fitzgerald Sutherland, 6 grand children: Tianna, Taylor, Terrell, Savannah, Savaughn and Malachi Sutherland.

Theresa was always a business partner to her husband over the years, helping to operate Brotherhood Express, Belize Shipping, and Sutherland Construction. She was also very active in the church at Family Mennonite in Los Angeles and Fresno Community Church of God. Her ministry also included feeding the homeless and sending clothes to Belize for those less unfortunate.

On August 22, 2024, Theresa departed this world leaving behind a host of relatives and friends to cherish all her loving memories. She will truly be missed!

A Funeral Service will be celebrated on Saturday, September 28, 2024 at 11:00 AM at Life Cathedral Church of God, 6865 N Maple Ave, Fresno, CA 93710.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.whitehurstsullivan.com for the Sutherland family.