Robert Lee Suthard

SUTHARD, Colonel (Ret.) Robert Lee, 78, of Midlothian, retired Superintendent of the Virginia State Police and a former Secretary of Transportation and Public Safety in Governor Douglas Wilder's cabinet, died December 2, 2009 at his home. Born on August 5, 1931 in Northumberland County, he was the son of the late Murphy Clifton Suthard and Grace Louise Gillions Suthard. He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Lucile Floyd Hill Suthard; a son, Colonel (Ret.) Robert Lee Suthard Jr. and his wife, Nancy Jett Suthard; grandchildren, Captain Robert Lee Suthard III and his wife, Kara S. Suthard, and Christin Jett Suthard Timpner and her husband, Andrew Timpner; a sister, Mary Sue Suthard Smith; five nephews and six nieces. He was predeceased by brothers, James Murphy Suthard and Thomas Morgan Suthard; and by sisters, Virginia S. Duffey Buddington and Louise S. Hilliard. Col. Suthard, a highly- decorated 36-year veteran of the Virginia State Police, graduated from the Virginia State Police Academy in 1954 and advanced through the ranks, served as a Captain, prior to being appointed Superintendent of the Commonwealth's largest law enforcement agency in October 1984. He served in this capacity until January 1990. In January 1990, Col. Suthard was appointed Secretary of Transportation and Public Safety; thereafter as Secretary of Public Safety in the governor's cabinet. He served in this capacity until January 1992. Following his retirement from public service in 1992, Col. Suthard became founding president of Suthard Associates, Inc., providing liaison, consulting and lobbying services for private industry. His clients included 3M Company, International Window Film Association, Brown & Root, a division of Halburton, AT&T, and he represented the Virginia Clerks of the Circuit Court and the Commonwealth Attorneys in a lobbying capacity at the State Capital. Col. Suthard was inducted into the U.S. Army in 1952 and advanced in rank to Sergeant, attended special weapons instruction in Japan and commanded a 155mm gun section in Korea. He was awarded the Bronze Star for meritorious service in Korea and was honorably discharged in 1954. Active in a variety of church, civic and professional organizations throughout his life, Col. Suthard was a member of Manakin Episcopal Church, was a former president of the Waverly and Culpeper Rotary Clubs, a member of Midlothian Masonic Lodge #161 A.F&A.M., and he served as a founding Director and Chairman of the Board of Colonial Savings and Loan Association. He received over 80 commendations during his law enforcement career and served as Chairman - Traffic Safety Implementation - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, first vice president of the International Association of Police Chiefs, as a member of the board of the Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police and on the Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy Associates. He was a graduate of the FBI National Academy in 1974 and the FBI National Executive Institute in 1985. Col. Suthard enjoyed traveling with his beloved wife, Lou, fishing, hunting, golf and spending time with family and friends. A funeral service will be held in Col. Suthard's honor Sunday, December 6, 2009 at 3 p.m. in the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer, Midlothian. Following the services, the family invites everyone to a reception at Salisbury Country Club. The following day, Monday, December 7, 2009 at 2 p.m., a committal service will be held in Tankard's Rest Cemetery, Hadlock-Exmore, Va. Following the committal service the family invites everyone to a reception at Eastern Shore Yacht and Country Club. Memorial donations may be sent to Colonel Robert Lee Suthard Scholarship Fund, c/o Virginia State Police Association, 6944 Forest Hill Ave., Richmond, Virginia 23225. The Purviance Chapel of J.T. Morriss & Son Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Wakefield, is handling arrangements. Condolences may be posted on line at www.jtmorriss.com.



This obituary was originally published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch.