Homer Duane Sutton, 86, “changed addresses” to his heavenly home on June 6, 2018. Duane was born to Homer and Alta Sutton on April 12, 1932, in Bado, Mo.
In his early years, Duane’s family traveled between Texas, Kansas and Oklahoma with his father, a traveling evangelist. When Duane’s brother, Kenneth James, became ill, the family returned to the Bado community in Missouri. Duane finished his grade school years at Barnum School, a one-room school house.
Duane graduated from Houston High School, class of ‘49, in Houston, Mo., and later joined the Air Force during the Korean War, proudly serving four years. He was initially stationed in Goosebay, Labrador, then reassigned to Foster Air Force Base in Victoria, Texas.
He met and married Charlotte Ferguson while working at Ferguson Buick Pontiac GMC, her father’s dealership in Houston, Mo. As Duane and Charlotte raised their five children, they owned and operated several businesses: Ferguson Buick Pontiac GMC Dealership, Sears Catalogue Store, Sutton Auto Sales and Sutton Storage.
With a passion for singing gospel quartet music, Duane joined The Harmoniers Quartet in 1948 and sang with the quartet for the next 70 years.
Duane said, “We may not have had much, but we had the ingredients that make up for worldly goods… blessed with family… having them all together is the highlight of our lives.”
Duane is survived by his wife of 61 years, Charlotte; one son, Larry and his wife, Hitomi, of Springfield, Mo; and three daughters, Susan Compton of Branson, Mo., Linda Flint and husband, Jon, of Kansas City, Mo., Leslie Getman and husband, Carl, of Tulsa, Okla. He is also survived by five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Duane is also survived by his sister, Imogene Wilson and her husband, Bruce, of Houston, Mo.
He was preceded in death by daughter, Sondra Sutton; granddaughter, Amanda Perkins; infant brother, Kenneth James Sutton;, and parents, Homer and Alta Sutton.
Services were 2 p.m. Saturday, June 9, 2018, at Houston First Baptist Church with Wesley Wallace, Pastor Russ Stigall, Charles Ferguson and Austin Sutton officiating. Burial with full military rights was in Bado Cemetery under the direction of Evans Funeral Home. Pallbearers were Aaron Cantrell, Dewayne Goforth, Billy Pierce, Shane Mitchell, Steven Mitchell, Greg Wilson and Danny Carter. Honorary pallbearers were Dan Adey, Wilburn Elmore, Dewayne Rees and Buck Wade.
In lieu of flowers, donations are being accepted for the following charitable organizations: Texas County Library, St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital or First Baptist Church, Houston, Mo.
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