June 25, 1928 ~ November 11, 2006
Sister Dorothy Mae Richardson Sutherland, a good and faithful child of God, was born on the 25th of June, 1928 in Pearsall, Texas, Frio County. She was the 7th child in a household of nine children born to Roy and Alberta Richardson. Dorothy attended elementary and secondary schools in Pearsall, Texas and completed her education in San Antonio, Texas at Phyllis Wheatley High School in 1949. Dorothy loved to dance which is how she met her husband of 52 years. Frank and Dorothy were married on May 17, 1953. To this union, three children were born: Cynthia Yates, Frankie Williams and Robert Sutherland. To know Dorothy was to love Dorothy. She accepted Christ at an early age and she was active member of Pilgrim Baptist Church. One of Dorothy’s favorite sayings was “Let nothing separate you from the Love of God”. Dorothy was one of God’s chosen people. She was a ruby in her husband’s crown, A Virtuous Woman, Mother, Grandmother, Aunt and friend. She was a proud yet humble member of East St. Matthews Baptist Church. She worked everywhere on God’s program in her evangelistic life. Dorothy and Frank moved to San Antonio to make a life for themselves. She attended Shaws Barber College in Houston, Texas. Dorothy returned to San Antonio to start her career as a barber and retired after 20 years due to health reasons. She is preceded in death by her beloved husband Frank G. Sutherland, her mother, father and five brothers. She leaves to cherish her memory her children: Cynthia Yates, Frankie Williams and Robert Sutherland of San Antonio, Texas; three sisters: Gladys Smith of Austin, Texas, Minnie Lee Richardson of San Antonio, Texas and Mary Adams of Houston, Texas; four grandchildren: Mary (James), Ebone, Tiffany and Sherrick; her lit’l great grandchildren: Javion–Jay and Faith (Sunbeam); her East St. Matthew family and a host of nieces, nephews, family and friends.
Guestbook
To: The Sutherland Family From: Mrs. Wilkerson During this difficult time, remember to continue to hold to God’s unchanging hand….For He is truly able to strenghthen you and give you EVERYTHING that you need. “Weeping may endure for a night, but JOY cometh in the morning.”
Rev. Robert Sutherland & Family: We wish to extend our deepest and heartfelt sympahty in the passing of your beautiful mother. The good Lord understands what your family is going through, and He’s the One who best knows how to comfort and care for the family. We know our Personal Savior will always be close, providing strength and peace in all the days to come. May God continue to bless you and the Family. Betty Bell & Dorothy Richardson
Dear Robert…our thoughts and prayers are with you. We are unable to be with you on Saturday due to my sister coming in from California at Austin, but we will be with you in spirit and hope to see you soon. All our love to you and your sisters..and all the family. We Love you..Conny and Ina
You know my prayers and thoughts are with you all at this time. I feel as if lost a second mother in Aunt Dorothy, she was there for me, my girls and their families. There will never be another like her. She was my daily phone call, now i will talk to her in silence. I know she is in a better place and she was very tired, but still I will miss her more than anyone could possibly know.
Our prayers are with you at this difficult time. God Bless all of you.
Cynthia, Frankie, Robert and the Girls, We send our condolences to you and your family with the homegoing of your Mother/ Grandmother. She wants to all to remain strong as a family and listen and be there for one another. She has instilled great pride and courage in each of you and wants you to continue the legacy. Do not give up on your dreams, your selves and one another. We are here for all of you – do not hesitate to keep in touch. We will do like wise. Love you all and May God continue to bless you and keep you safe.
Mama you’ve faithfully met every challenge this family has faced through the years. You’ve weathered our dramas and traumas. You’ve prayed us through trials and tears. You’ve offered us dreams to believe in, and goals to keep striving toward… Through good times and bad times, You’ve taugh us to always depend on the LORD. You’ve gracefully given your wisdom in subtle yet meaningful ways, encouraged and guided our efforts with humor and patience and praise… You’ve brought out the best in our family-along with your help from above. LOVE ALWAYS ROBERT.
Aunt Dorothy, you will always be loved and never forgotten. You will live in our hearts and minds until God calls us home and we all get together to rejoice and praise His holy name. Forever, Your neices and nephews
Rev. Robert Sutherland, Cynthia, Frankie and the rest of the Seeds of Sutherland–a family of Faith. We will truly miss our beloved Sis. Sutherland. She was so dear to our family as well as to her East St Matthew Family. We will miss her smile, calming spirit, and her unwavering belief in God, no matter what the situation or circumstance, she trusted in the Lord. She had a way of making you feel valued. No other person I know who could be serious, sincere, impart wisdom and funny, in the same moment. She always saw the best in all of us. For every concern, she had a word from the Lord. She was a true blessing and she knew we all loved her and all of you as well. We thank God for placing her in our lives. We will continue to keep all of you in our hearts and prayers.
Granny,I thank God for blessing me with you for the pass 30yrs. I know you are looking down keeping an eye on us all. But just in case you did not know I miss you will all my heart.Sometimes I don’t know if I can make it, But I can turly look unto the hills and know that God can and he will. It’s been four months now and sometime I think it’s getting easy, but it’s not. I try to pray and I can’t I ask God to help me because I know better. But Granny I miss you so much and I hope and pray that god can hold us all together as a family and we can get back as you and Daddy wanted us to be. as you know everything is a mess but I know through God through your sprit we will get it back together.Jay talks about you and Daddy everyday. and you know Faith she’s still faith(sun beam). I wish you could see Greg. he’s a buttrball.like you like them.Now from you to me I promise to be the best I can God first, you’ve showed me how to be a good Wife and Mother and yes it’s hard without you here but god will allow me to make it .. thank you for being my rose of life. I love you
Granny it’s 7 months today.I already know you are saying mary get off this page. I wanted to just put some thoughts down. I miss you and wish you were here to see your great grand. Javion is a doorkeeper as you would say now at church .. and he spoke up and said he wanted to do it.. that is something . Your sunbeam is still just that, she walking and talking like she is grown. and greg well that is all together different .. hE is 23pds and counting. they all remind me of you and daddy I said faith has daddies sprit and greg has yours. he so calm and then all at one he let’s us have it .. we are tring to get thing back to normal with the family.( more pray) but you know you were the rock and now we have to reach for the wisdom that you and daddy taught us and we do know how to it’s just hard without you guy.I know as always you all are watching us will your whole hearts. and just as you last words were to me i’m not letting nothing seperate me from the love of GOD. in my thoughts and heart always love you oldest granddaughar Beth.aka Mary Elizabeth Yates Sutherland-Dockery.
This is the first time that I have actually put something on here. I just wanted to let you knowout in the open that I love and miss you and daddy very much. I never imagined in my mind that I wouldnt have you two here with me. I’m glad that your not suffering anymore, but I’m sad of the fact that your not with me. Sometimes I just want to call and hear you fussing or for you both to just call me fakey flakey. But I just wanted to say out in the open one last time that I love you both very much and you’ll forever be in my heart. Goodbye until we meet again.
It’s me again. well granny it’s been 10months and 2days. I only have 6 days left before James and I with the kids are moving to Arlington . you know this is a big change and I have to keep God first . But I always told you and Daddy”if anything ever happens to you guys I was not going to stay in san antonio. so i’m keeping that. but I do want to thank you for teaching me to put God first and how to step out on Faith. Because this is what it is. this is a brand new start for James and myself to Start over with Our family. and to make things better for us and the kids. I will be out there before I leave . I do know you”ll Are not there but you are with me in my heart and sprit. I miss you and daddy and I love you guys with everything that I have. and I will never put anything or anybody befor God . Again thank you for giving to me what only God would allow you and Daddy to give and that is God ,Love,Wisdom And the know how. To be a good mother wife, teacher. because what God has for me it is for me..love you guys always.
It’s me Granny It’s almost my birthday and christmas. As you already know and see things are what they are.My family and I are here in the big city of Arlington Trying to make things work .. man is it hard .. I know for myself I still have times when I just want to pick up the phone and tell you what’s going on, or hear you tell me mary you better keep them kids in church, you did not have a choice/yes mam.I still say you and daddy being gone has truly made me grow up in a lot of ways. I still remember all the different things we shared I have the photo on my desk of you,daddy and myself at your 50th wedding ann. my co-worker looked at the photo and said “Man you really look happy” I told her this was my crew .. it was alway us together one or the other..( granny and mary) Again as you can still see I truly still miss you guy’s and really pray for God’s grace to show me the way and I know everything is alright. I thank God for you and daddy and thank you again for loving me. God gave me angels and they will always be with me. smile
This is the day the Lord has made let us ReJoys and be Glad. Happy Birthday to My Granny.. This is the day you discovered America. and as for me this is another day I have missed you and Thank God for you and Daddy. You would be 80years old today Wow but God had other plans for you.. I hope and pray The Lord will leave me here as long or longer so I can have as much sprit and love as you did in your life.. God has Bless me in so many ways. “Never would have made it. Never could have made it without you. I would have lost it all but now I see you were there for me, and I can say I’m stronger, I’m wiser, I’m better, so much better.. I can stand here and tell you I made it because I had you to hold on to”.. Thank you and I love you Granny. Tell daddy hay and I miss him too. Until we meet again. You all are always in my mind and Heart.
It’s me again Granny, the 13th day of October. As you already know I’m having a time with you and Daddy not here for me to talk to or to show you how well and good I’m doing. God is blessing Me and my Family. I truly belive you guys would be proud. Well we were able to get a House, just moved in last Tuesday on the 7th. It everything I have always wanted. We have something for the kids to play and call home. My church is growing every sunday and pastor ask Sis Love and I to help get a choir started. Reminds me of when we use to go to Hondo,before long we are going to have to find a bigger building.. I’m proud to say That I under the care of God and I’m doing my best to make God, you and Daddy proud of me.. I know I should not still be writing these notes to you. But only God and I understand. I Guess since I can’t make it to visit the Grave this is my way of getting through. Forgive me if I’m holding on but I’m doing better. Always in my thoughts mind and heart…Kiss Daddy and tell him I love him and miss him. Love you guys bye for now..
Hey there my granny it’s been a while. Today is your birthday you would be 81yrs young. so happy birthday my love. Man it seem like yesterday I was driving you to H.E.B and Wal-mart for your Saturday shopping Talking to everybody and calling daddy at home asking him what did he want us to bring him to eat. lol .. Sure wish I could just go back to those times. If i could have our H.E.B/Wal-mart times. Now on saturdays it’s just another day and Holiday’s are not what they use to be.. So I’m baking a cake just for you and will let your great-grand kids Jay,faith , and greg enjoy gran-grans cake. I love you and miss you Granny. RIP. Tell daddy to sang his Song “The Lord will Make a Way some How” TTYl. HP…