Gerald Sutterfield

The much loved Dr. Jerry Sutterfield of Atlanta passed away peacefully on January 27, 2012, at his home surrounded by his loved ones. His wit, humor, warmth and great wisdom will be missed by his family, friends, colleagues and former patients. He was born on April 27, 1923 in Marshall, Arkansas as one of two children of Ulysses Meade and Dollie Harris Sutterfield. He grew up in Leslie, Arkansas and entered the University of Arkansas in 1940. After the outbreak of World War II, the U.S. Navy chose Jerry and other excellent undergraduate students to be enrolled directly into the medical school as part of a precursor to the V-12 program. As a result of going to medical school year-round he received his MD degree just after his 22nd birthday in May, 1945. After his degree and commissioning he was assigned to various medical facilities in Tidewater, Virginia where he met and subsequently married Mary Arden Tucker on September 7, 1946. Upon separation from the Navy, he completed his internship and residency at Crawford Long Hospital in Atlanta. Jerry and Mary Arden had three sons, Charles Meade, Stephen Tucker and James Arden, in the early 1950’s. Upon completion of his requirements he began his practice of Obstetrics and Gynecology in 1955 at Piedmont Hospital, where he later served as Chief of Obstetrics. Jerry had a bright and curious mind and great energy which led him to the enthusiastic pursuit of many hobbies. He built his own electronic test equipment to augment his hobby of repairing televisions. He built and flew large scale tethered and radio controlled flying scale model aircraft and also took on old automobiles to rebuild and refurnish with each of his sons to provide their everyday transportation. He enjoyed dirt biking in North Georgia. He became an Amateur Extra Class operator (HAM) with the call sign AA4JG and built equipment for this hobby. Later in life he took up playing keyboard and building his own computers. His favorite hobby turned out to be deep water sailing, which he did until he could not physically handle big boats anymore. After the death of Mary Arden in 1978 Jerry retired from his medical practice to spend winters sailing his 43 foot Gulfstar ketch in the Caribbean. In 1982 Jerry married Carol Gibson, who had worked with him as Head Nurse in Labor and Delivery at Piedmont Hospital, and found a soul mate for the rest of his life. They split time between their home in Florida and Roswell for the rest of his years. A wonderful and devoted family man throughout his life, he is survived by his wife, Carol Gibson Sutterfield, his three sons, his seven grandchildren and six great grandchildren. On Monday, January 30, the family will receive friends from 5-7 PM and on Tuesday, January 31 from 11 AM – 1 PM at Sandy Springs Chapel, 136 Mt Vernon Hwy, Sandy Springs. There will be a celebration of his life at the Sandy Springs Chapel on Tuesday, January 31, 2012 at 1 p.m. Dr. Gil Watson will officiate. Interment will follow in Arlington Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Atlanta Visiting Nurses, Hospice Atlanta or Piedmont Hospital Medical Scholars Fund.