Bessie Rae (Hargrave) Sutton

Bessie Rae Sutton, 95, of Greeley, Colorado, died Friday, February 7, 2003, at Centennial Health Care Center.

A funeral service will be held at 2:00 P.M., Wednesday, February 12, 2003, at Allnutt Funeral Service/Macy Chapel. Burial will be at Sunset Memorial Gardens. Visitation will be from 4:00 to 8:00 P.M. Tuesday, February 11, 2003 at Allnutt Funeral Service/Macy Chapel.

Bessie was born November 17, 1907 in Warrick County, Indiana to Franklin M. and Rose (Murphy) Hargrave.

She graduated from Bosse High School in Evansville, Indiana and then went to and graduated from nursing school in Indiana as an RN. She was a former resident of Evansville and Shelbyville, Indiana and Albuquerque, New Mexico from 1948-1953. She had lived in Greeley since 1953.

She married Frederick Lawrence Sutton on September 12, 1941 in Alton, Illinois. He preceded her in death November 28, 1994. She owned and managed a large hotel in Shelbyville with her husband.

She was a public health nurse in Evansville and in the Albuquerque area and on Indian reservations. She was also an RN at Weld County General Hospital and the UNC Student Health Center.

She was active in many volunteer roles. She was director of her church’s youth Bible school and was a school volunteer, Boy Scout and Girl Scout leader, and was a member of First Baptist Church where she was very involved in the Merry Circle.

A strong and beautiful, exemplary woman of her time, Bessie played on a women’s basketball team in the 20’s. She was the first person (man or woman) to own a car in her town. She supported her mother and siblings after her father’s death.

She loved her family, music, art, gardening, and sewing. She laughed at life’s obstacles and worked them out. Most of all she was a great mother – she taught her children to never give up. She embraced life and touched the lives of everyone around her.

Her daughter, Peggy Rae and husband Tom Rideout of Greeley; son, Frederick Sutton II and wife Linda of Castle Rock, CO; brother, Charles Hargrave and wife Katherine of Ft. Lauderdale, FL; grandchildren, Frederick Sutton III and wife Leni of Denver, CO, Tim Wilson and wife Kalyne of Highlands Ranch, CO, Kristen Rae and husband John Dorighi of Denver, CO and Jeffrey Rideout of Greeley, CO; great-grandchildren, Peter Dorighi of Denver, CO and Colby, Shelby and Riley Sutton of Denver, CO; one nephew; three nieces; and sister-in-law, Doris and husband Joe Troop of Scottsdale, AZ survive her.

Her husband, Frederick Lawrence Sutton, parents, and sister, Jessie Mae Hargrave preceded her.

Memorials may be made to the First Baptist Church in care of Allnutt Funeral Service, 702 13th Street, Greeley, CO 80631.