1935 - 2025
OBITUARY
On the morning of January 12, 2025, Wesley August Sutton passed away peacefully in his sleep at the home of his eldest daughter, at the age of eighty-nine. Wes, or “Ralph” as he was affectionately known by many, was a lifelong resident of Dutchess County. Born in the Village of Wappingers Falls to Wesley and Bertha (Hackbart) Sutton, Wes was educated at Wappingers Schools before enlisting and proudly serving as a Specialist, 4th Class in the United States Army, spending some of his time stationed in Berlin. Not long after his return to the states, Wes met his lifelong love, MaryEllen (Briggs) Sutton of Rhinebeck. The two quickly fell in love and married before Wes was called back to serve his country for a second time. Stateside, Wes, spent thirty-eight years working for IBM. After raising their four children in the Village of Wappingers, Wes and MaryEllen split their time between the warmer months at Sylvan Lake and the cold winters in Florida, both relaxing on their patio or Wes out on the golf course. A lifelong fan of the Boston Red Sox, he was rarely found without something that sported the logo of his favorite team and would try to find time to attend a game or two, either at Fenway Park or Yankee Stadium. Civic duty and community involvement were engrained into Wes at an early age, where he helped to serve the community and created lifelong friendships. Besides his military service, Wes was a life member of SW Johnson’s Fire Company, a member of the American Legion Post # 427 (both Village of Wappingers), and a member of the Poughkeepsie Elks Lodge # 275. He also served as a manager and director of the Wappingers Falls Little League. A true believer of living (and playing), in the moment, Wes always looked forward to many camping and beach vacations, as well as fishing with his children, grandchildren, and friends. His yearly golf leagues and tournaments also held a special place in his heart. He would often say: “I’m gonna tell you something… work hard to give your family more opportunities than you yourself had, and build memories, because in the end, that’s all that matters.” Besides his strong work ethic, Wes was a man of family and made sure to tell others truly how important family is. Always a loving father, Wes is survived by his four children and their spouses: Laura (Nicholas) Pucino, Wesley (Holly) Sutton, George (Kelly) Sutton, and Debra (Raymond) Timmons. Although they will miss him dearly, they will never forget the life lessons that he imparted upon them. Among these lessons was to put family first, to always set an example for others, and to always do what is right. Wes took immense pride as a grandparent and great grandparent, no matter the distance between him and his family. He made sure to attend recitals, sporting events, graduations, weddings, and family gatherings to share in the good times, laughter, and his own stories. In his later years, a summertime evening fire was always a stage one could expect a story from the past, an ear to listen, and a word of advice. “Grandpa” was surely loved by Tara, (Ryan), Cameron, and Jaden McDaniel; Melissa, (CJ), Weston, and Callan Hensley; Casey, (Andrew), Sienna, Liam, and Aleski Zunich; Nicole, (Kaitlyn) Pucino, Alley Sutton, Corey Timmons, Katie Timmons, Riley Sutton, and Sawyer Sutton. In addition to his parents and wife, Wes was preceded in death by his sister and brother-in-law Margie and Al Lattimore. He is survived by his sister and brother-in-law, Linda and Ron Sella, as well as nieces and nephews. The family would like to extend a special thank you to Dr. Schneider of Wappinger Falls, who went above and beyond in caring for Wes during his final few weeks of life. Visitation for sharing memories and offering condolences will be on Monday, January 20th, from 2:00-4:00 pm and 6:00-8:00 pm at Delehanty Funeral Home, 64 East Main Street, Wappingers Falls. A funeral mass will take place at Zion Episcopal Church, 12 Satterlee Place, Wappingers Falls, on Tuesday, January 21st at 10:00 am. The family will hold a private burial, after cremation. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating in Wes’ name to the St Jude Children’s Cancer Research Fund.
VISITATION
Monday, January 20
2:00 - 4:30 PM & 6:00 - 8:00pm
Delehanty Funeral Home
64 East Main Street, Wappingers Falls, NY
FUNERAL SERVICE
Tuesday, January 21
10:00 AM
Zion Episcopal Church
2 Satterlee Place, Wappingers Falls, NY