From 1925-1926, he attended Bybrook Infant and Skibo Elementary Schools under the tutorship of the then famous young teacher, Clifford Francis. When teacher Francis was transferred to start the unity government at Bunker's Hill in Trelawny, he literally adopted the young Sutherland and took him to continue his schooling and development in Trelawny. There, he completed the first, second and third year local government examinations and became a student teacher. Mathematics, music, geography and history were some of his favourite subjects.

Ambitious individual

In 1942, he was about to enter Mico Teachers' College when a friend convinced him to enter the civil service. He joined the lands department and led a legendary and distinguished career there. Sutherland worked in several parishes. In 1946, he met the then Ivy Clark at the opening of C.C. where she was a chorister on the Ridgemount choir. So enamoured was he that, by October of that year, he married her. They raised five children and worked and lived at land settlements at Teak Pen, Clarendon; Barry Lloyd's, St Catherine; Kingston; Kildare, Portland and Boundbrook, Port Antonio.

Obtained scholarships

In 1960, he obtained government scholarships which took him to Prarie View A&M University (Texas), Perdue (Indiana) and University of Wisconsin. The family settled for a while in Port Antonio.

In 1963 he transferred to the head office in Kingston where he attained the status of assistant commissioner of lands. He worked at the company as director and secretary until his retirement in the late 1980s.

After retirement, he devoted the rest of his active life to the Kingston Lodge. Lodge activities continued until his fading memory got the better of him.

As a big brother, Sutherland felt obligated to ensure the best opportunities for his siblings and they would speak of him as 'Suddie', the father. There were things about Sutherland that were impossible to forget. Like most persons, he had his way of solving unwelcome issues. For instance, if one said something which he rejected, he would let one know that such utterances were akin to 'BS' and in no ambiguous way say 'you are talking cow manure'.

The grandchildren always loved to see him. He always had the little green sweets (icy-mints) and other goodies for them. His children loved him for the principles he maintained. He believed that education and hard work were the keys to success in life. He left his children many good lessons and his life enriched many.

He passed away on November 21 and was buried on December 5.