Stephen John Sutherland’s life will be honored with a Celebration of Life Service on Saturday, March 28 at 4 pm, with a time of gathering one hour prior at the Minnetonka Seventh-Day Adventist Church, 3510 Williston Road, Minnetonka. Pastor Jason Salyers will officiate. The family will lay him to rest at a private ceremony at Spring Lake Cemetery in Prior Lake, MN.
On a snowy Sunday evening, March 22, 2015, Steve sadly passed away suddenly from an unexpected medical illness at the young age of 54. He was the youngest of four children born on February 5, 1961 in Milwaukee, WI to parents William Russell and Bette Jo (Carron) Sutherland. Steve grew up in Cedarburg, WI, with his sister Nonda and brothers, Bill and Lee. A student of Cedarburg High School, he enjoyed participating in wrestling, where he medaled. Steve was a graduate of the Class of 1979.
The greatest accomplishment in Steve’s life was being a husband and dad. While attending college, he met the love of his life, Alana Hollinger. They knew instantly, the two of them did not want to lose each other. On September 5, 1982 at Ogema Baptist Church, in Ogema, WI, Steve and Alana declared their love as husband and wife. Fatherhood was soon to be in his future. Unfortunately, they were saddened with the delivery of stillborn twin sons, Brian and Michael. Steve and Alana eventually became the proud parents to three additional sons, Bradley, Daniel and Adam. As a family, they enjoyed camping under the cold stars and sharing in some of the best food. Steve also was very active coaching the boys in gymnastics and in the church youth group.
“If I can’t fix it, it can’t be fixed,” was a motto of Steve’s. He had a knack of looking at something and knew just how to fix it. Steve took this fasciation of mechanics and followed it throughout his life. Most of his career was spent working on planes, trains and automobiles. First starting out with Comair as an A&P mechanic. He later moved to the Twin Cities and was employed by Republic Airlines which later became Northwest Airlines. He continued as an A&P mechanic until he changed careers to become part of rail transit. For 5 years, Steve worked at Metro Transit on the light rail, where he was the Supervisor of Maintenance. We can’t forget about his love for automobiles. Steve loved fast cars. He also loved tearing them apart and making them better.
Steve had an adventurous life. Shortly after getting his driver’s license, he earned his pilot’s license. Later he furthered his education at Andrew’s University in Michigan, where Steve worked toward a major in Industrial Technology with a concentration in Aviation and found the love of his life, Alana. Throughout the years, the couple loved attending air shows and reliving the thrill of flying. Steve enjoyed being a certified scuba diver, exploring the lakes with his sons and even helping out with clean-up of Prior Lake. He also kept his hands busy by tinkering in the workshop designing and building all sorts of creations: rockets, boats, airplanes and guns.
As Alana’s rock, Steve was her everything as a provider, protector, a compassionate husband and soulmate. Brave, daring and fearless are words that describe him as a dad. Steve inspired his sons to be their best.
Left to honor Steve’s life and mourn the death are his wife of 32 years, Alana; sons, Bradley Sutherland, Daniel Sutherland (fiancée Rebecca Jung), Adam Sutherland; mother, Bette Jo Sutherland; siblings, Nonda (Todd) Henshaw, Bill (Anna Marie) Sutherland, Lee (Beth) Sutherland; other loving relatives and friends.
Steve was preceded in death by his infant twin boys, Brian and Michael and his father William (Bill) Sutherland.
Ballard-Sunder Funeral Home and Cremation, Prior Lake Chapel, proudly served and cared for the Sutherland family. www.ballardsunderfuneral.com
