Thelma Wong Kwan Sutter MD, 77, passed away on Sunday, May 3, 2026, at her home in Corrales, New Mexico. Thelma was born in Kapatagan, Lanao, Philippines, on January 17, 1949. She earned her medical degree from the University of Santo Tomas in Manila and came to the United States in 1973 to become trained and board certified in pediatrics and neonatal perinatal medicine.
She joined the faculty at Texas Tech Health Sciences Center as an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, a role she held from 1979 to 1986, and was recognized early in her career with the Soroptimist Award, the Outstanding Resident Award at Driscoll Children’s Hospital in Corpus Christi, and the Values in Action Award.
She served for more than 30 years as a Neonatologist, including as Director of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at St. Mary's and Covenant hospitals in Lubbock until her last year before retirement. Her dedication went well beyond medicine — sewing crib sheets for the tiniest patients, baking cakes, and hosting parties for staff and families alike. In 2003, she served as Dessert Chef at the March of Dimes Star Chefs fundraiser. Throughout her time at NICU, she helped bring countless unlikely survivors through, including a set of quintuplets, and many families stayed in touch with her for years.
Outside of work, she found her joy in growing things — from the colorful landscapes she tended in Lubbock to the wildflower meadow she seeded and cultivated in Corrales. She was a Christian and a member of Colonial Baptist Church in Lubbock.
She was preceded in death by her brother Philip. She is survived by her husband, John, of Corrales, NM; her daughter, Rebecca, of Brooklyn, NY; her brother, Vic; and her sister, Luz.
Her family is grateful for the exceptional and deeply personal care of Dr. Brandon Smaglo and his team at MD Anderson, and for the many friends whose generosity and compassion meant so much.
In memory of Thelma Sutter, contributions may be made to:
UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Gastrointestinal Department
By mail: P.O. Box 4486, Houston, TX 77210-4486
MDAnderson.org/Gifts
Covenant NICU
give.covenanthealth.org/NICU
