Sarabelle Sutton

Sarabelle Sutton always considered herself very fortunate to have grown up in Uvalde. Her family was one of the first pioneering families in the area. She was born September 6, 1922 in Uvalde to Joe G. and Mary Constance Smyth. She attended Uvalde schools and was the valedictorian of her graduating class in 1940. She graduated from Baylor University with majors in business and psychology and married her high school sweetheart, Mimms Sutton in 1944. While he was a naval officer they lived in Norfolk, Virginia and New Orleans, Louisiana. After World War II they moved to Marfa and ranched in West Texas for 15 years. Then they returned to the Uvalde area in 1960 and continued to ranch and raise their children. She loved the country and worked hard to preserve the land. After her husbands early death, she started teaching and taught first grade for 21 years. She enjoyed giving her students the life skills of reading and writing. Through the years she enjoyed seeing her former students grow up and continue their education.
Mrs. Sutton was a member of Delta Kappa Gamma where she served in several positions including president. She was a member of the Uvalde Garden Club and enjoyed putting her hands in the dirt to help a flower grow. Sarabelle said that flowers feed my soul.
Sarabelle loved to cook for friends and family and enjoyed the art of sewing. She would make favorite family recipes for the holidays and she found pleasure in designing outfits for herself and family members.
Mrs. Sutton also loved to travel and had the pleasure to travel all over the United States and other countries. She enjoyed the landscapes and the people of other countries and experiencing other cultures. She would visit art museums, admire architecture and eat various cuisines.
Sarabelle was a member of First Baptist Church where she formerly sang in the choir, was a member of Womens Missionary Union and even until recently was a Sunday School teacher. She loved her Lord and her church family. She believed in Christian mission work and participated in both foreign and home missions. Mrs. Sutton believed that all people could be philanthropists in various ways. People can give money, even a small amount, to further a worthy project to help others. She believed that people could give their time and talents to accomplish a task to help other people.
One of her favorite sayings was:
God reaches out to you with love to assure you,
With grace to uphold you,
With compassion to comfort you.
Even in her last days she was ministering to others sharing with them about her Lord. She lived her faith each day. She will be greatly missed by her church, community and family.
She is survived by her children Rev. George Mimms Sutton and wife, Margaret, Joe Claud Sutton and wife, Latricia, and her daughter, Susan Sutton. Grandchildren Teri Baker and husband, Stephen, and their children Laura Jane and Jake. Also Nathan Sutton and wife, Ede, and granddaughter Sarah Jane Semrad and husband, Paul, and children, Eva and Jiri. Also grandson, Byron Mimms Sutton and wife, Regina, and twins, Reagan and Hudson. Also grandson, Rev. David Sutton and wife, Laura, and sons Josiah and Elijah.
She is preceded in death by her husband, Mimms, and daughter, Sarah Constance. Also her brother, Joe G. Smyth and wife, Alue, and brother, Needham Smyth and wife, B.J. and her sister, Mary Constance Jones and husband, Ditzler and parents, Mary Constance and Joe G. Smyth.
A memorial service will be held on Thursday, June 26, 2014 at 2:00 PM at First Baptist Church. Rev. Lonnie Moore and Rev. Jim Jackson will officiate.
Memorial donations may be made to The Start Center for Cancer Care, 4383 Medical Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229 or to The Lottie Moon Christmas Offering co First Baptist Church, 220 N. High St., Uvalde, TX 78801.

Visitation

Service