Suttie, John W.
GREEN VALLEY, Ariz. - John W. Suttie, Professor Emeritus, age 86, passed away on Dec. 21, 2020, in Green Valley, Ariz. Born in LaCrosse, Wis., John was raised on his family's dairy farm. As a child, he attended a one-room school house until high school in Galesville. In 1955, he married Leone Stenberg, and they settled in Madison while he earned his degrees.
John received his B.S, M.S., and Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He was an NIH Postdoctoral fellow at the National Institute for Medical Research, Mill Hill, England, before returning to Madison in 1961 to join the University of Wisconsin faculty in Biochemistry. His research focused on the metabolism, action, and nutritional significance of Vitamin K. He rose through the ranks to become the Katherine Berns Van Donk Steenbock Professor in Nutrition and Director of the Center for Coagulation Research. Dr. Suttie chaired the Department of Nutritional Sciences from 1988 to 1997. He served as President of the American Society for Nutritional Sciences (ASNS) and Editor-in-Chief of The Journal of Nutrition. He was a member of the editorial board of the Journal of Biological Chemistry 1981-1986.
Suttie received the 1974 Mead Johnson Award, the 1980 Osborne and Mendel Award, and the 2004 Conrad Elvehjem Award of the ASNS, The ARS Atwater Lectureship, and the 2002 Bristol Myers-Squibb Award for Distinguished Achievement in Nutrition Research. In 1996, Dr. Suttie was elected to the National Academy of Sciences.
He served as Chairman of the Board of Experimental Biology, President of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB), and was a member of the NRC's Board on Agriculture and Natural Resources, the FDA Blood Products Advisory Committee, Public Policy Committees of the ASNS, American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB), the USDA/NAREEE Advisory Board, ILSA Food, Nutrition and Safety Committee, and the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine. He aimed to promote the public knowledge of science and to establish and maintain a stable base of funding for the biological sciences. He retired in 2002 to serve as Emeritus Professor in the Department of Biochemistry. Throughout his career, he mentored numerous graduate students who remembered him as they launched their own research and careers in biochemistry and nutritional sciences.
The Sutties were long time members of Bethel Lutheran Church in Madison, where John served on the church council and directed a building project. They have been loyal Badger boosters and also enjoyed golf and many friendships at Blackhawk Country Club. John and Leone spent semi-retirement years as snowbirds and moved to Green Valley, Ariz., permanently in 2017.
John was preceded in death by his parents, William Vilas Suttie and Emma Rindahl Suttie. He is survived by his wife, Leone; two children, Joan (Blake) Iserman and Collin (Lisa) Suttie; four grandchildren, Martha Iserman, Kevin Iserman, Lauren (Andrew) Walters and Kara Suttie; his brother, Bill Suttie; sister, Ruth Hoff; along with nieces and nephews in Wisconsin.
Memorials may be made to the John and Leone Suttie Nutritional Sciences Fund at www.supportuw.org or the University of Wisconsin Foundation, 1848 University Ave., Madison, WI 53726.
John loved to entertain and was a great storyteller, regaling us with his adventures home and abroad. We will all miss the "Wily Fox" beating us at games, with elation in his voice and a grin on his face as he announced his "ah-ha" moment to his vanquished foes. He is fondly remembered by his children. He was actively involved and interested in their personal activities, despite his busy work and travel schedule. He will be greatly missed.
"John, I am so grateful for the happiness we found and for the wonderful life we shared."
