Janet R. Sutherland

Like a ship in the harbor....

Ms. Sutherland impacted my life in profound ways. She was my English literature teacher at Newport High School. She opened my eyes through Edith Wharton and John Steinbeck. Taught me to read between the lines and words. Nurtured me to think - the deeper underlying meaning. I was not an exceptional student in her English class. Far from it. Quite the opposite. When I was struggling, she gave me warm words of encouragement which propelled me to want to do better. To go beyond my comfort zone....

Janet was my teacher at Interlake and I will always remember her warm intelligence and huge sense of fun. She certainly inspired me to write, to think and to imagine. Very grateful. With love.

I just got the very belated news that Janet died nearly two years ago. It is hard to imagine a world without feisty, bright, laughing Janet in it. I remember so well our conversations about literature, politics, and spirituality, as well as our camping and road trips in the 70's. She was a wonderful colleague and friend.

It appears I was in the last Mercer Island class that got to learn from Miss Sutherland. Somehow I once found myself at her place, listening to a Mimi and Richard Farina album . This memory kept coming back during the 8 years I spent in Ithaca NY: I got 28 credits in Art History courtesy of one of the "characters" in Farina's "Been Down So Long It Looks Like Up To Me". Every time I saw H Peter Kahn, I saw that evening with Miss Sutherland...

Miss Sutherland was my all-time favorite English teacher at Mercer Island HS. Her rendition of Vachel Lindsay's poem "The Congo" was priceless, and will always stay with me. She was a true original and a great teacher.

dear Ms Sutherland I thought about you again today when I was doing english homework with my six year old daughter and remembered a great english teacher i had. was hoping to look you up and tell u how much you made a difference in my life.... but just realized i was just a few months too late. i am sorry. thank you so much. i miss you.

I vividly remember taking Ms. Sutherland's literature classes at Newport High School in the mid 80's. She was one of my favorite teachers, not only because I loved English but also because she challenged us to do our best. My condolences to all who loved her.