Vernon Binford Sutton

Vernon Binford Sutton, 89, husband of Jacqueline Reid Thompson Sutton, passed away January 22, 2024 at Frankfort Regional Medical Center. Born on April 3, 1934 in Washington County, Kentucky, he was the son of the late Herbert “Pete” and Fannie Keeling Sutton. He was named in honor of two ministers at the Springfield Baptist Church, Brother J.N. Binford and Brother Vernon.

Vernon Binford was a graduate of Mackville High School, Campbellsville College and the University of Kentucky, a retired vocational agriculture teacher and Future Farmers of America Advisor, and an Honorary Kentucky Colonel.

A member of Sand Spring Baptist Church, he served as a deacon for 59 years (having been ordained at Nicholasville Baptist Church in 1962) and deacon chairman for multiple terms at Sand Spring Baptist Church, as well as a Sunday School Teacher, and served on numerous pastor nominating committees.

He helped found the Children’s Bus Ministry where he also visited with families in their homes on Saturday and invited them to ride the bus to church services on Sunday. He was also a member of the choir where he loved to sing and also enjoyed traveling with the Senior Citizens bus trips.

He was United States Army veteran receiving the Semi-Annual Soldier of the Year Award in the 3rd Armored Division in Europe, where a parade was held in Frankfurt Germany where he was presented with this honor and a typewriter.

He was also a member of the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Association (where he traveled extensively across the United States and Canada visiting other farms), Kentucky Farm Bureau, and received the Otha Gaffin Agriculture Award from the Mackville School Alumni Association and the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture. Previous tenures included President of the Anderson County Teacher’s Association, Bluegrass Vocational Agricultural Teacher’s Association, Advisor to the State of Kentucky Vocational Agricultural Teacher’s Association, served on the Federal Housing Administration Board and President of the Anderson County Soil Conservation Committee. He gladly drove students of the Future Farmers of America to the annual convention in Kansas City in his personal vehicle.

He was an avid farmer all his life and enjoyed raising beef cattle and even just sitting on the hillside watching them in the field, as well as judging cattle shows. He also loved spending time with family and friends, including visiting with others at McDonald’s after his retirement where they shared some truthful and some questionable stories. In giving back to others he served as a teacher trainer for the University of Kentucky for 14 years.

Including his wife of 70 years, he is survived by his two children, Vernon Reid Sutton of Houston, Texas, and Jonathan Raybourne Sutton of Huntington, West Virginia. He was preceded in death by brothers Jay and Howard, sisters Pauline Fenwick and Geneva Thomas, and a special nephew Raymond “Pee Wee” Nally.

Funeral services will be conducted at Sand Spring Baptist Church, 1616 Harrodsburg Rd., Lawrenceburg, Kentucky on Friday, January 26, 2024 beginning at 1:00 PM by Dr. Mike Hamrick officiating.  Burial will follow at Pleasant Grove Cemetery in Springfield, Kentucky.

Friends may call from 11:00 AM until time of service at 1:00 PM Friday at Sand Spring Baptist Church. 

Memorial gifts may be made to Sand Spring Baptist Church, PO Box 166, Lawrenceburg, KY 40342.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the Ritchie & Peach Funeral Home, Lawrenceburg, KY.  Condolences to the family may also be expressed at  www.ritchieandpeach.com