MITCHELLWilfred Ottis Suddarth, 96, Mitchell, went to be with his sweet Jesus at 12:32 p.m. Monday, September 8, 2008.
Born June 8, 1912, in Lawrence County, he was the son of Ottis and Vira (Dalton) Suddarth. He married M. Evalou Slaughter on June 3, 1933, and she survives.
During his elementary years he worked with his dad hauling quarry rock from Lehigh on a horse-pulled flat bed wagon. Later he went to work at Holmes Orchard while helping out on the family farm. As he grew older he went to work for Julia Reid delivering milk on his horse-pulled milk wagon. Starting at 2:00 a.m. he would deliver milk to the homes in Mitchell as well as to the men stationed at the C.C. Camp at Spring Mill. He then went to work for John C. Grubb Company followed by 34 years at Carpenter Body Works (as a welder and a supervisor for 20 years) and then Dan Pearcy Chevrolet for 15 years.
He was a charter member of the First Christian Church in Mitchell, serving as Elder, board member and greeter. He was a member of the Mitchell Masonic Lodge No. 228 F&AM and Order of Eastern Star (worthy patron) since 1943. He served on the Talbott Cemetery board over 30 years, the Mitchell Board of Works and Mitchell City Council for 8 years. Wilfred was a lifetime member of the FOP No 172 and in 1983 was given the Key to the City of Mitchell by Mayor Jerry Hancock.
Surviving along with his wife of 75 years,
sisters,
Mary Armstrong, Cincinnati, Ohio
Margaret Chastain, Mitchell
brother,
John William Suddarth, Orleans
sisters-in-law,
Joanne (Slaughter) Talbott, Mitchell
Ruth (Reynolds) Slaughter, Mitchell
Lucille (Batchelor) Slaughter, Florida
12 nephews
12 nieces
several great nieces and nephews
His parents; sisters: Beatrice and Thelma Suddarth, and Lucille Hollars; and six nephews, preceded him in death.
Funeral service will be at 11:00 a.m. Friday, September 12, in the Memorial Chapel of Chastain Funeral Home with Brother Josh Brumfield officiating. Burial will be in Talbott Cemetery.
Friends may call from 4:00-8:00 p.m. Thursday and from 9:00 a.m. until the service on Friday at the funeral home.