Obituaries

Gail, Terry and family - my sincerest condolences on the passing of Suther. He would be very proud of the celebration of life that you and Terry arranged. Suther approached his recent health issues with great tenacity ( as he approached most things) .Suther was a significant force in Jacques Whitford over the years and will be remembered for his contribution to our team by many and also for his friendship. RIP Suther Bill Sutherland

We met Suther at Vallarta Yacht Club at the Banderas Bay Regatta in March 2014 It was a very serendipity start for that regatta and our times together over the years The owners of a brand new Hunter 44 "Seaquester" wanted to go into the 3 day Cruisers Race, They had no crew and little experience, so Suther and I and and 3 other racers and the owners became the team . When we did the practice race, on the 1st windward leg, there was a crash from down below. Suther politely told the owners, that their home was now a race boat, it would be heeling, and the toe rail would be in the water. So the spice rack and the pots and pans needed to be snugly stored below. I drove, Suther was on the mainsheet – calling tactics, tacking duels with our closest competitor over the 3 races - The owners were pleased to see what their boat could really do when keen racers , led by Suther, tweaked every line to the optimum - Suther also drove the markset boat for the youth regattas in Banderas Bay for several years , I was the anchor puller - more great times on the water helping the upcoming racers. Suther and I were both civil engineers, sailors, and skiers, and quickly learned we shared many common perspectives on life and also neighbours in the same condos and spent many evenings and pool time together over many sunny winters When Sue and I went shopping at Costco with Suther and Gail, we decided to split 2 cases of red and white wine, as well as other important food stuffs - We noticed a lineup at the counter next to the wines,- Bacardi was offering samples of all their rums, at 10 am in the morning !! This was a very unique opportunity – unheard of in BC, and NS – Suther and I decided to take full advantage of the various rums and mixes, so buying food was delayed for a while. In the end, Suther still got one of his favorites - Flor de Cana 12 or 25 year Rum from Nicaragua- and I learned quite a bit about some fine sipping rums from a real expert ! We also explored the many smaller restaurants in the neighbouring towns on Banderas Bay – with Suther researching and finding a great choice every time. Sue and I came east for my MBA class reunion in August 2016, Suther provided the list of top 10 sights , and we westerners learned how to cook and enjoy a lobster dinner. We are very thankful all the wonderful times we had together. Fortunately all the stories, and fun times and his better ways he shared, will always be with us. We wish Suther fair winds and following seas. Bill and Sue Hall

Dear Gail & Terry: I was saddened when Ann told me of Suther's passing. My prayers and thoughts are with you during this difficult time. May you find comfort in your memories. Sincerely - Lorraine Davy

Gail,Terry and Family Dianne and I offer our sincere condolences. Suther and I worked together for many years at CBCL and Jacques Whitford. He was one of the very first Environmental Enginnering leaders in NS. His team building and mentorship skills were truly unique. He mentored many young engineers and environmental scientists who flourished with their careers. With Gail , they were true friends to Dianne and me. A great person who will never be forgotten.

Very sad to hear of Suther's passing. As my very first "boss" in the consulting business, an industry I spent much of my career in. I learned the love this business during those early days because of the combination of technical problem solving combined with business too....I'm not sure if I learned more from Suther doing project work or through the stories and lessons of running and growing the business during Happy Hour at Keystones but regardless I learned a lot and it has served me well and I will always be grateful for the time I spent and the lessons learned. Sorry for your loss...he will never be forgotten.

My Sincere Condolences to Suther's Entire Family .

Gail, Terry and family, So sorry to hear of Suther's passing. Although we lost touch over recent years, I have such fond memories of our work life together at Project Consultants, and even more so, the great times we had sailing. 'Boomer' introduced me to the world of sailing and taught me so much. Great times racing on Wednesday evenings and Saturdays, several times at Chester Race Week, and the terrific week we spent (along with the late Peter Thomas) sailing to the Bras d'Or Lakes in 1979. Sutherland worked hard and played hard. I will always remember him and cherish our great times on the water. Hope to see you on Friday. Sincere condolences, Roger

Gail our sincere condolences to you and the family. Suther had a very positive impact on our entire family, a larger-than-life presence with a laugh that would brighten any room. I have so many wonderful memories from both our professional and social relationships, a dear friend. We will be gathering the Newfoundland clan (including the Naval Architects that he took under his wing sailing the Greek Islands after their graduation) on Friday afternoon to share Suther stories, have a laugh, shed a tear, and toast a great individual. Mike, Brenda, Sean and Josh Cole

Gail and family, sorry to hear of Suther's passing. Our sincere condolences. Randy and Debbie Matheson.

Gail, I am very sorry for your loss. Linda Shea-White

Gail and family, our deepest condolences on the sad news of Suther's passing.We will hold you in our hearts and prayers. Seamus and Cathy Rooney

Im so sorry to hear about Suther, I had the honor of working and sailing with Suther for a nuber of years from early in my career and I can say without a doubt Suther helped make me the person i am today and I am truly grateful for his support and guidance . You will be greatly missed by all you graced sir! May you rest in peaceful repose. Once we meet again lets sail in the clouds on a CNC 40 something or bigger. Rob McCullough

Gail, Terry, John, Donna and Dianna. We were so sorry to hear of Suther's passing. Our deepest sympathy. Karen and Sylvan Murdock.

Gail & family We are very saddened to learn of Suither's death. A great friend. It was good to see him several years ago at Martock after so many years. Good times sailing & racing at BBYC Ken & Rose Giffin

I was lucky enough to work with Suther on several projects at Jacques Whitford. What a great experience that was! Work hard but somehow have a lot of fun doing it. Lots of stories from those days. Learned a lot from Suther and it served my well. He will be missed. Bruce MacNeil

Our sincere condolences to Gail, Terry, Lynn and grandson Nicolas on their loss of loving husband, father. We trust that time will ease the grief and hurt of missing Suther's presence in your daily life, leaving his many accomplishments engraved amongst your memories. Suther was not a guy that was easy to miss, as has been said by the numerous comments above. I first encountered Suther as did many others, through a 14-year workplace colleague at Jacques / Whitford and of course, on some of his many sailboats. We also enjoyed the playful side of Suther and Gail under the hot Caribbean sunshine on a number of excursions to Jamaica and of sailing vacations with friends in the Virgin Islands. Those memories will never fade..... Following extended illness in recent years, Suther is on another course now. A month ago, he emailed me to tell of Jimmy Buffett's "brand-new song that I think will make us all feel better. It is called "Bubbles Up"; Thanks, Suther. Rest in Peace our Friend John & Fran Amirault

Sending our deepest condolences to Gail and family. We're thinking about you today with love in our hearts for Suther. God bless you ❤️

Hello ...Well, well well, three holes in the ground as my father would say ...Jesus, Mary and Joseph, as Newfoundlanders would say... not being a particularly religious folk, I would just like to say ...oh my God... What an inspiration Suther was... My grandmother left me a little bit of money, which allowed me to buy a small car while I was in second year law school, which allowed me to be introduced me to Suther ..and oh boy ..he got sold a total bill of goods about me, ...some buddy told him I had more sailing skills than I did at the time... I had some ...but not like what he actually needed. However, he took me in and every day was an adventure and an event... All I knew was if...I turned up....on time ...on budget ...with a smile... and he would cobble together a crew and he would figure out some sort of plan to win whatever the heck it was we were trying to win at that moment in time... Alls I really knew ...was ...if I listened to his barking immediate instructions, and after he stabilized the whole floating hot mess of a situation (be it start or be it mark or be it finish) ...we might win. I knew with him at the helm, we would get home safely ...I was just not sure how or in when or in so many pieces ...but we would get there... I often recommend to Suther... it sure would be good if we could recruit a medic or someone with medical training to be on board given any given day of near calculated misses ... There were so many starts where I would ask him.... Are you sure we can do this? There were other starts where I was like are you sure this is legal? I don't know where ... but there are many finishes where I was just so very proud to be a called a crew member on his boat, It was so crazy that I actually introduced my brother to Suther for a race to fill in my position when I had to move on to Ottawa after law school. It was an introduction well met and they shared a new life long bond that I know is missed to this day. I also had the wonderful privilege over this time to get to know Gail, Terry and his family. He was so proud of them all. It's been a wonderful ride ...kind of like downwind on a spinnaker ...where it makes you hold on to your well deserved sandwich hoping you get to eat it before Suther yells jibe...it's all about the timing and the trimming ... Quite frankly, , I don't think they make people like him anymore. I have had cats with many lives and he outlived them all. I was privileged to have spent time with him personally and professionally. I wish him much RIP. Best wishes. Fiona

Dear Gail, He always had a smile or grin ,so what is racing going to be without Suther? I remember well when Bobby & I were in a newly opened Bayers Lake , Home Depot on a very cold ,snowy night at 10.40 pm seeing Suther & we all laughed : who would believe seeing those two in shopping on a Saturday night ! Bobby & I send our deepest condolences . Bobby & Elaine Gordon Cragg

Suther was a singular character in the fullest sense of the word: enthusiastic, opinionated, vocal, truly larger-than-life. Not everyone fully appreciated this, notably maître D's in fancy restaurants and crusty yacht club staff. He couldn't have cared less. What Suther cared about – deeply, almost devoutly – was sailing. Principally, time on the water racing: the perfectly-timed start, the wind shift that he alone caught, the glorious downwind finish for a win. But it was far more than that, a lifestyle that included lots of friends and cruising exotic tropical islands and Jimmy Buffett on the stereo. He could be an exacting skipper. Working the foredeck of Audacious, it was helpful to be able to shed his noisy imprecations like water off a duck's back, or pretend to be deaf. Suther seemed incapable of living life at normal speed. He doubted he'd reach his fiftieth birthday. Happily proved wrong, he presided gleefully over a raucous event that featured a coffin, pallbearers and ... well. Above all, Suther was a loyal friend to those around him and he, in turn, inspired fierce loyalty. This was particularly true of the large, varied group of non-sailors that he turned into kind-of sailors or even kind-of sailor boat owners like me. He has left an outsized hole that won't soon be filled.

Our most sincere condolences to Gail, Terry, Nicholas, John, Donna, Dianna and Familes. I have such fond memories of growing up together when the family lived in Bible Hill. Our thoughts are with all of you at this sad time. Sincerely, Judy, Terry and Family

I'm 30+ years into a career that started with Suther as my boss. Yes, there were frustrating times, and a lot of hard work. But under Suther's guidance we did really good, quality work. And we were rewarded by Suther. I can say with confidence that not a week goes by that I don't use a skill I learned from him. He was a mentor and also a friend. Rest in peace, Suther, and sincere condolences to Gail, Terry and family.

Hi Gail I have lost touch with Suther over the years so was saddened to hear of his passing. We all shared many a good time at BBYC. I trust you are doing well. Suther, the legend lives on. Good bless. Wi and Beth Apold

Our deepest Sympathy for your loss of a great sailer and coworker

Suther lived hard and played hard. My office was directly across the hall from his at Jacques Whitford. For over 10 years, I heard his boisterous laughter, his expletives over certain policies and protocols, and his support for my marketing team. At one point, we disagreed over the design of a brochure. I said "Suther we are not going to produce anything that will embarrass you or the company. Let us do our jobs." He huffed and left. Two minutes later he stuck his head around my door and said: " Alright, do what you want but make sure I see the proof before you go to print." High praise indeed. He was a character but always fair. He was an integral part of the company and much of its success was due to his efforts. Rest in peace, Suther! Pam Lutz

Gail, our deepest sympathies to you and your family. Wishing you peace, comfort, and courage at this difficult time. Kevin and Heather Clarke, Boutiliers Point

I will always remember the first time I really got to know Suther, Gail, Terry and Lynn. I was travelling with a friend in Australia and I met up with the family in Sydney. I felt so welcomed by the family early on. I had a care package to send back with them for my husband (we had only been dating less than a year at the time). Suther thought it was ridiculous I was sending easter chocolate from Australia, but complied. because he knew I was smitten with his nephew. As our eldest daughter is now studying civil engineering, she is on a similar trajectory as her Grandfather and Great Uncle Suther. Sending all our love from Whistler, BC. Love Michele, Jason, Emily & Zoe Stalker

Suther was one of the greatest human beings that I have ever known. I am very proud to have been a personal friend, J29 Atlantic Storm crew member and his family dentist over 35 years. He always had this magical sense of interest in who you are and what you are doing. Gail and Terry, my sympathies, thoughts and prayers are with you at this time. God bless.

Suther lived life large. I knew of many of his sailing and travelling exploits but it marks a life by the number of people whose lives have been enriched. Suther clearly did much for many.

My sincere condolences to family. I have fond memories of Suther chasing his brother John and me through the alder swamp in Bible Hill circa 1960.

I worked for Suther for years at Jacques Whitford for many many years - he was DEFINITLEY one of a kind. I will miss him. Take care if each other.

Dear Gail, Ron and I were saddened to learn of Suther's passing. Please accept our most sincere sympathies. Our thoughts and prayers are with you, - Mary Barker

So sorry to hear of Suther's passing. Over the last week I have been reflecting upon the impact Suther has had on my career, which has been significant. He was my 1st boss and a mentor for many years. His commitment to our clients, his team, and his courage to tackle the toughest challenges head on were admirable. He taught me a lot and I am thankful to have had the opportunity to know Suther. I will miss him. My condolences Gail and Terry to you and your family during this difficult time. Dan

Oh Gail we are so very sorry to read of Suthers passing. We always enjoyed his positivity and boundless energy.. Our sincere condolences to you and your family Margo and Ernest Cadegan

Gail and family. My sincere condolences on Suther's passing ! As you know, we had stories to tell of adventures off, on and around the water. He was fun, a character and a friend. He will be missed ! Jimmie Gillis

My sympathy to you on your loss, Gail. M. L. Mills

Our sincere condolences to Gail and family. Our thoughts are with you.

Our sincere condolences to Suther's Wife and Family , especially his Brother John . I played then Coached both Suther and John with the Legion team in Victoria Park Little League back in the the late 1950's and they were great competitors on and off the Field . My Wife Bonnie ( Elizabeth Taylor ) went to CCHS with both . May your many precious memories give you Peace . Albert Johnson

Gail, Terry and Nicholas, I am so sorry for your loss. I carry so many wonderful memories of crewing on Atlantic Storm with Suther at the helm. Thinking of you at this sad and difficult time, and sending my sincere condolences

Gail, Terry and family, Marcia and I share in your grief of the loss of our friend Suther. He was absolutely a remarkable and extraordinary soul. There are no shortage of words to describe him and his impact on others. It's his attributes as an engineer, mentor, and consultant that resinate with me. Professional service was paramount in his leadership and he surrounded himself with teams of varied professionals of both genders whom he challenged every day. The result was we who worked with him were blessed with working on difficult, innovative, highly rewarding, and important matters that made a difference. And we were the better for it all. We are grateful to him for that.

I remember the joy for life that was ever present with Suther. Very talented and confident at taking on any challenges presented to him, My sincere condolences to Gail and son Terry.

So sorry to hear this news ! Have not seen Suther for many years. We had lots of fun racing competitively in the Bluenose fleet. Suther was a great guy & will be missed by many. My sincere condolences to Gail & Terry.

Gail, Terry & Family my prayers are with you during this difficult time. I worked with Suther at Jacques Whitford for about 15 years on many environmental projects. There are lots of stories and memories to share and through them, may he always be with you. I will keep him and you in my prayers.

Gail, really sorry for your loss. Do pass on our condolences to your son Terry as well. Suther will be missed by everyone as he was larger than life. Our thoughts and prayers will be with you as you transition this very difficult period! God bless you and your entire family!

Dear Gail. My condolences to you and your family at this difficult time. Judy Dudley.

Gail, so sorry for your loss. Suther was a force to reckon with and will be missed that is for sure. I have a lot of fond funny memories from working with him . Please know you are in my thoughts at this sad time.

Terry, Lynne Nick and family so sorry to hear. Remember Mr. Yuill at many a game in the Beford watching Nick. Thoughts with you all:Brad Boyd & Family

I am sorry to hear of the passing of Suther. I met Suther in Truro when we worked for WN Horner and Associates we carried out numerous field trips gathering data for projects were designed for the firm. We became good friend. John O'Toole

Dear Gail My sympathies to you and your family on the passing of Suther. May the years of memories bring you comfort at this difficult time. Kelly (Fitzgerald) Crewson Former co-worker at Cox Downie

Suther was a "larger than life" character and one of the most memorable people I met in my career. Like anyone who met him, I have lots of great memories of Suther, many of them quite funny. My condolences to Gail and the family.

So sorry for your loss....There was only 1 Suther... we all had such good times and crazy times with him... always leading us astray...his booming laugh and big hugs... loved his rums!! And sailing flowed in his veins... lots of great memories of trips in the carribean ... sail on high big guy...

I had the great fortune to spend 10 years from 1990 to 2000 with Suther: as a close colleague, then close friend, regular travelling companion, occasional sailing crew/swab, and occasional partner-in-crime. And then a few years later when he visited us in New Zealand "on the way home" from somewhere far closer to NS than NZ is! Few people have ever made such an impression. Who can forget walking into his home for his 50th party and finding that coffin in the entry .. Suther, rum & coke in hand, roaring with laughter at the joke that no-one thought he'd last to 50, but the coffin was still empty! The added 27 years were a rich bonus. Larger than life doesn't even start to describe Suther. Perhaps my best reflection is that Suther showed me what miracles can happen when you expect the most, and demand the best, of everything you do or anyone with you does, then supports you to the end of the earth back ... expects you to have a great time while doing it. He certainly did. Always. At work, in sailing, in life. Suther, thank you. You enriched my life, and so many others. I've never forgotten you and I yhought you were indestructible. The news today of your passing is so hard to accept. Gail and Terry, Suther worshipped you both and I'm thinking deeply of you both, and Suther's and my many common colleagues and friends, today from the other side of the world. Rest in peace Don (Elder)

Whether it was in the board room on on board a boat, I always enjoyed my time with Suther.... He knew how to get things done... and he knew how to have a good time doing so. He certainly had an impact... and he will be missed. Please accept my most sincere condolences....