Steven Eugene Sutterby, age 83 passed away peacefully on August 10, 2024 surrounded by family at home in Louisburg, KS. A visitation will be held Thursday, August 15, 2024 from 9:00 to 11:00 am at the Mullinax Funeral Home, Drexel Chapel. Funeral services will follow at 11:00 am Thursday, also at the chapel. Burial will take place in Mapleton Cemetery, Mapleton, Kansas. Memorial contributions may be made in Steven’s memory to the Mapleton Cemetery. Messages of condolence may be left for the family at www.mullinaxfuneralhome.com.
Steve
was born on October 20, 1940 to Ira Eugene and Reitha (Kastl) Sutterby near
Mapleton, KS.
He
graduated from Kincaid High School in 1958 and went right to work. First as a ranch hand before going to work at
Hallmark in Kansas City, MO from 1960-1961. He was employed at Bendix Corp from
1961-1963 then the Ammunition plant in DeSoto, KS.
Steve
realized soon he was not a person to want to work inside so he purchased his
first dozer in 1967, a 1953 D7. Diesel fuel at the time was only $.09 a gallon.
Steve
ran his own dozer doing dirt work around the Wellsville, KS area until 1980
when he went to work for Ron Weers in Louisburg, KS. Then he went on to work 25 years for Doug
Peuser, Louisburg, KS. He pushed his
last pile of dirt in December 2023 for Hammons Construction, Paola, KS before
his health failed.
In
1964, Steve married Esther Bennett in lola, KS; with this union they had a son,
Ted Eugene in 1972. This marriage later ended in divorce.
In
1995, the bashful cowboy was introduced to Melodie Skeens. He then acquired 2
girls, Michelle and Marsha.
Steve
never met a stranger and loved talking to anyone, especially if it was tractor
related, bulldozing, antique cars and tractors or guns.
In
his leisure time, he enjoyed antique tractor shows in which he would take his
many antique tractors that he restored 5 of, and car shows where he and Mel
would participate with their 1936 Plymouth sedan, going out to eat and
traveling to visit friends, leatherworking and shooting guns with his son and a
Friday or Saturday night dinner date would typically turn into going to check
out one of his ponds that he had dug. He
should have had it “down pat” after 57 years on a dozer.
In
the early days, Steve owned his own Cessna 140 airplane and enjoyed flying
around locally. He was an avid hunter
and hunted moose in Canada on several occasions.
Steve
will be remembered for his dedication, hard work and the love he had for his
family and friends. His orneriness and practical jokes will never be
forgotten. Dig big on that dozer in the sky. You will be forever missed.
Steve
is survived by the love of his life Melodie Skeens, son Ted and his better half
(according to Steve) Jen, step daughters Michelle Mellott and Marsha (Darryl)
Hammons, his brother David (Betty) Sutterby, brother in- law Ron Sadler,
Grandchildren Jacob, Hannah and Brandon Mellott and great granddaughter Zayna.
Sister in-law and brother in-law Anita and Mike Brown and nephews Michael Brown
(and girls) and Nick (Melissa) Brown and family Numerous niece and nephews and
friends.
Steve
is preceded in death by his parents, sister Mona Sue Sadler, infant daughter
and grandson Lucien Mellott.
Posts
