LEWIS FRANKLIN SUTTON
Jan. 25, 1936-Dec. 1, 2016
Lewis Franklyn Sutton, Ph.D., 80, Indian Land, S.C., died Thursday morning, Dec. 1, 2016, in Winston-Salem after an extended period of illness.
He was born Jan. 25, 1936, in Goldsboro, N.C., to Howard and Manola Sutton.
He graduated from Goldsboro High, then went on to earn a B.A., M.A. and Ph.D. in French at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill.
He was a Fulbright Scholar in France in 1959 and 1960, where he studied at the University of Caen, Normandy, and traveled all over the continent.
When he returned to Chapel Hill, he fell in love with Louise, and they were married from 1961 until her death in 2006.
In 1966 and 1967, they and 3-year-old Nancy spent a year in France, this time as director of the University of North Carolina study abroad program.
They returned to the United States, and Lewis took up a post as assistant professor at the University of Virginia.
In 1969, he was hired as department chair of modern foreign languages at Western Carolina University, and the family moved to Cullowhee with 1-year-old Laura in tow.
In addition to his tenure at Western Carolina University, Lewis had many hobbies, including woodworking, home repair, hi-fi audio and home theater equipment and, later, computers.
He also had a passion for classical music, especially opera.
He sang in the choir at Cullowhee United Methodist Church and in Cullowhee Community Chorus.
He retired from teaching in 2001, but continued to work for another five years as technical support for the College of Arts and Sciences.
In 2008, he moved to Indian Land to be closer to his grandchildren, Trey and Meg.
He continued his passion for music by singing in the choir at St. John's United Methodist Church in Fort Mill.
He also traveled to Europe many times throughout his life, especially with his brother, Bryan.
He was a kind, generous and highly intelligent man -- he was knowledgeable on almost any topic. He had a larger-than-life personality, and loved to tease, joke and laugh.
He was predeceased by his parents, Howard Sutton and Manola Lewis of Goldsboro, and his wife, Louise Muse, of Cullowhee.
He is survived by his elder brother, Bryan Sutton of Goldsboro; daughters, Nancy Sutton and partner, Lisa Barefoot, of Winston-Salem and Laura Williams and husband, Bryson, of Greer, S.C.; grandson, Trey Williams, of Winston-Salem; and granddaughter, Meg Williams of Conway, S.C.
A celebration of life service will be held Dec. 16 at 2 p.m. at Cullowhee United Methodist Church, 416 Central Drive, Cullowhee, N.C., 28723.
The family will receive friends at 1 prior to the service.
Memorials may be sent to Hospice and Palliative Care Center, 101 Hospice Lane, Winston-Salem, N.C., 27103, and Cullowhee United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 1267, Cullowhee, N.C., 28723.
Online condolences may be sent to www.salemfh.com.
(Pd)
Published in Obituaries on December 6, 2016 10:01 AM