MARCELLUS L. SUTTON
April 7, 1923-March 26, 2017
Marcellus Lanier Sutton, 93, died March 26, 2017, with his loving granddaughter, Kelly Kincaid by his side.
He was born April 7, 1923, in Duplin County to the late Antoinette Hill Sutton and Randolph Marcellus Sutton.
June 24, 1948, Marcellus married Sampson County native Christine Carter. They moved to Lenoir County in 1951 to organize and develop farming operations that would continually achieve local and state recognition.
During his lifetime, Marcellus expanded the successful farming operations into Greene County.
His accomplishments as a farmer were recognized locally and statewide. In 1991, he was the Lenoir County Corn Growing Champion with 195.02 bushels per acre. In 1993, he was the winner of the Lenoir County Corn Yield Contest of the Northern Coastal Plain with 218.45 bushels per acre.
With this record yield in 1993, he was also the North Carolina State Corn Contest winner sponsored by the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service and Corn Growers Association of North Carolina.
He retired from farming in 2010, but remained active, supervising overall farming activities until his death.
He also maintained rental and investment properties in Emerald Isle, N.C.
Marcellus was an avid sportsman. He was a hunter and fisherman with determined focus and passion, which brought him statewide recognition with two feature articles in the News and Observer that highlighted and praised his extraordinary abilities and accomplishments.
His renowned reputation as a breeder and trainer of bird dogs made him sought after by many of his fellow hunters.
He served as a hunting guide at several hunting preserves, where he built many cherished friendships.
Marcellus was a faithful member of Hickory Grove United Methodist Church of LaGrange, N.C., and a member of Bucklesberry Ruritan Club.
In addition to his parents, Marcellus was preceded in death by his wife, Christine Carter Sutton; brothers, Ralph Clarendon Sutton and Leonard Franklin Sutton; a sister, Mary Rose Sutton Stocks; and a grandson, Charles Marcellus Nisbet.
He is survived by his daughters, Carol Diane Sutton Nisbet and Donna Kaye Sutton; grandson, Stephen Howard Nisbet; granddaughter, Kelly Marie Kincaid; nephews, Douglas Hilburn Sutton, Mack Carlton Stocks II and Leonard Franklin Sutton Jr.; and nieces, Rose Mary Sutton Stocks Herron and Allison Lynn Sutton Fuqua.
He will be long be remembered for his anonymous acts of kindness and compassion for family members, church and civic groups and individuals of the community who needed a "kind word and a helping hand."
The Sutton family will receive friends Thursday, March 30, 2017, from 1 to 2 p.m. at Rouse Funeral Home, with a memorial service to follow at 2 p.m. in the chapel, with the Rev. Robert Flynn officiating. Burial will follow the service at Wayne Memorial Park.
The family will also receive friends at the family home located at 2869 Jenny Lind Road, LaGrange, Tuesday, March 28, from 4 to 7 p.m. and Wednesday, March 29, from 4 to 7 p.m.
Online condolences may be expressed at www.rousefh.com.
Memorials may be made to Hickory Grove United Methodist Church, c/o Stanley Sutton, 1832 Sutton Shortcut Road, LaGrange, N.C., 28551.
Arrangements are entrusted to Rouse Funeral Home of LaGrange.
(Pd)
Published in Obituaries on March 28, 2017 9:58 AM