Benjamin William Sutton

Benjamin William Sutton, aged 73 of Hiawassee, Georgia, passed away on Tuesday, February 27, 2024. Benjamin was born to the late Lyle Duane and Ruth Edamae (Brown) Sutton in Mendota, Illinois on April 8, 1950. Ben was a member of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Blairsville, and a member of the VFW American Legion Post 23. He was a Vietnam era US Navy veteran, a graduate of Holy Cross School and Mendota High School, Mendota, IL. During high school, Ben was bass guitarist with The Vanguards, a regionally prominent rock band in Illinois. Ben, known locally as “the man in the Pinto”, attended Southern Illinois University and graduated from the Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park, New York, in 1977, earning a Fellowship in 1978, during which time he instructed then student Anthony Bourdain. Throughout his career, he was a saucier at the Watergate Hotel, chef of the South Golf Club, Broadmoor Hotel, Colorado Springs, Colorado, corporate chef for JM Family Enterprises/Southeast Toyota, Deerfield Beach, Florida, and owner/operator of both Le Bistro restaurant, Mendota, Illinois, and Chef Ben’s Catering and Events, Hiawassee, Georgia. 

He is preceded in death by his parents, Lyle and Ruth Sutton, brother, James Sutton, and grandparents, William and Mildred Guthrie Brown and Benjamin Samuel and Mary Eschen Sutton. He is survived by his wife of 38 years, Sue Ann Stewart Sutton, daughters and sons- in-law, Maureen (Aaron) Fowler and Nora Sutton ( Kyle Rothemich). He is also survived brother and sister-in-law, Douglas S and Vicky Stewart; sisters Patricia Davis, Joan Martin, and Barbara Seward. A number of extended family and friends also survive. 

Visitation: Monday, March 4, 2024 at St. Francis of Assisi 10:30-11:00 am

Funeral: Monday, March 4, 2024 at St. Francis of Assisi 11:00 pm

Burial: Tuesday, March 5, 2024 at Georgia National Cemetery in Canton, Georgia at 2:00 pm 

In lieu of flowers the family requests donations to American Legion Post 23, Towns-Union Humane Society, or the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, donate.milarch.org