Obituary of Terence bruce sutherland

Commander Terence B. “Terry” Sutherland, USN, (Ret.) died on June 13, 2022. Born 1931 in Grand Junction, CO, Terry was raised in AZ and CA. After high school graduation (1948), Terry enlisted in the U.S. Navy to become an Aviation Electronics Technician before competing to attend USN Academy Preparatory School in Newport, RI, from which he received an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD, graduating Class of 1954 (BS, Marine Engineering). On graduation day he married his high school sweetheart, Nadine Stephens, of Moorpark, CA, a school teacher, who raised four boys and a girl while he was deployed at sea. Terry served aboard USS Colahan (DD658), USS Twining (DD540), Mine Squadron 11, USS Wilhoite (DER379) and USS Alfred A. Cunningham (DD752). Ashore, he attended Naval Postgraduate School (BS, Engineering Electronics) and Naval War College, taught at USNA, and served on Joint Chiefs of Staff Manpower Directorate. Terry served two tours on Operation Seadragon interdicting supply vessels and conducting shore bombardment during the Vietnam War. Terry attended George Washington University (MS, Personnel Administration). He served as manager of Navy’s Acoustic Warfare Project. Following USN retirement (1973) Terry worked as realtor, master of R/V Athena, chief trainer for crews of new-construction oil spill response vessels. Served Military Sealift Command as U.S. Merchant Marine deck officer, Coast Guard license trainer and technical writer. He was chief writer and editor for Navy’s quarterly Underway Replenishment Journal, skippered a charter boat and fished commercially in California waters. Terry earned licenses by USCG as Chief Mate and Master and by FAA in as a Commercial Pilot, instrument rated. In 1989, when the oil tanker Exxon Valdez ran aground in Alaska, he served as group navigator and mate for various cleanup operations. At 83, inspired by his grandfather’s example in painting, Terry earned a BA in Art with honors at the University of West Florida (2013). While residing at the life care community of Azalea Trace, he continued lifelong studies in art, music, literature, and Spanish. His memoirs, Now Sea This and Now Sea That, chronicle 50 years of saltwater recollections. Commander Sutherland is survived by his beloved wife, Nadine, sons Stephen, Scott, Dr. Burton, and Dr. Dean, and daughter Dr. Lori Franklin, their spouses and 21 grandchildren. Memorial services will be held at Azalea Trace followed by inurnment at the U.S. Naval Academy Columbarium, Annapolis, MD.