Bob Sutton

Bob Sutton, long-time Lampasas banker and civic leader died June 24 at Lampasas Assisted Living.  Bob was born May 12, 1931 in San Saba along with his twin sister, Maurine.  After graduating from San Saba High School he attended Tarleton State University and Howard Baker before joining the US Air Force.  While serving at Kelly Field in San Antonio, he met and married Mary Ruth Tomblin, the mother of his three children, Tom, Phil, and Susan.  After serving the Air Force in French Morocco and at Cannon Air Force Base in Clovis, New Mexico, and graduating from Eastern New Mexico State University in Portales the family moved to Ft. Worth where he entered the banking business.  While living in Ft. Worth he purchased a ranch in San Saba near the original family homestead.

He served as President of the City National Bank in Ft. Worth before becoming President of the First National Bank in Lampasas (now First Texas Bank) in 1970.  He served multiple terms on the Lampasas City Council and as Mayor Pro Tem.  Among his proudest civic achievements were the construction of the first hangars at the Lampasas Municipal Airport and the expansion of the Hancock Park Golf Course.  He operated numerous ranches in Central Texas including ranches in Lampasas, San Saba, Burnet, and Mills Counties as well as a large ranch near Dewey, Oklahoma in the Osage Country.  He retired from the bank in 2008 but continued to serve on the Board of Directors until 2013.

He married Erma Jean Henry in 1982 and she predeceased him as did her two sons, Dirk Henry, and Bart Henry.

He was very proud of the college degrees, of his three children and ensured the college education of his six grandchildren.

He is survived by his wife, Elva Sutton; his children, Dr. Tom Sutton of Pflugerville, Phil Sutton and Susan Sutton of Cedar Park, and Fairlyn Henry of San Angelo along with six grandchildren, numerous great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.  He was preceded in death by his parents, Thomas Luther Sutton and Nina Marie Till Sutton along with his siblings, Tommie Lou Massey, Ruth Wells, Maurine DeVoll, and Charles Sutton.

Visitation will be on Friday, June 28 from 5:30 to 7:00 at Sneed-Carnley Funeral Chapel Lampasas.  Funeral services will be held at First Baptist Church Lampasas on Saturday, June 29, at 2:00 pm with interment to follow at Regency Cemetery in Mills County. 

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Lampasas Mission, First Baptist Church of Lampasas, or a charity of your choice in Bob's honor.