David Kegebein Sutelan

David Kegebein Sutelan, 86, of Norfolk, Virginia, died peacefully at home on Jan. 30, following complications related to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

David was born on June 2, 1939, to Dr. Harry Ezra Sutelan and Roselyn Kegebein Sutelan. He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother Frank, and his beloved son, David Scott Sutelan, who died tragically in 1988.

David grew up in Norfolk and graduated from Maury High School in 1957. He attended the United States Naval Academy from 1957 to 1961 and served as a naval officer from 1961 to 1965, retiring with the rank of Lieutenant. He later attended the College of William & Mary Law School, graduating in 1968, and began practicing law that same year.

David enjoyed a distinguished legal career spanning four decades. He practiced law in Norfolk from 1968 until his retirement in 2008 and was a partner at Breeden, MacMillan & Green. He later practiced with Mays & Valentine and LeClairRyan. Though successful in his profession, David lived modestly and took pride in a life marked by discipline, frugality, and independence. He and his family made their home on Sylvan Street in 1972, where he lived for more than fifty years.

On Sept. 8, 1962, David married May Scott Perdue. Their marriage endured for 64 years and was the foundation of his life. Together they raised two sons, David Scott and Charles ("Chip") Perdue Sutelan. David was a devoted father and, later, a loving and deeply proud grandfather to Edward Morris Sutelan and Rachel Perdue Sutelan.

David had a lifelong love of reading and learning, particularly military history and the American Civil War. He was known for his insistence on stopping at every placard and historical marker during family trips to battlefields - often on the hottest days of summer. As a boy, he spent a memorable summer at Camp Nimrod in Bath County, Virginia, in 1948. That early experience grew into a lifelong attachment to Nimrod Hall, where he and his family returned each August from 1972 through 2020. There, he found great happiness tubing down the Cowpasture River, taking long walks, and sitting on the porch of the cabin reading history.

David was also passionate about his home and yard, tending it carefully and personally for most of his life. Even as illness advanced, he took pride in its upkeep and appearance. He loved dogs, especially his Rottweilers, Misty and Kelly, who predeceased him. He also enjoyed his "Grand Dogs," Liffey and Poldy.

After retiring, David and May Scott enjoyed traveling together, particularly to Europe and the Caribbean. He took special pleasure in planning these trips and was especially proud of their travels to Greece and Turkey. David even took the time to assemble a scrapbook of the trip.

He was deeply devoted to his family, and in his later years he grew especially close to his wife, expressing great gratitude for her care and companionship despite her own health challenges.

David's fondest memories were of his time at the Naval Academy, a subject he never tired of discussing with his family. He had lots of Navy-related anecdotes that he wove into almost every conversation. After his retirement, he relived some of these experiences by volunteering as a docent on the battleship, the USS Wisconsin.

David is survived by his wife, May Scott Sutelan; his son, Charles ("Chip") Sutelan and his wife Barbara; his grandchildren, Edward Morris Sutelan and his wife Amanda, and Rachel Perdue Sutelan and her fiancé Donny; and his sister, Grace Fazio.

A memorial service will be held on February 18th at 1pm at H.D. Oliver on Colonial Avenue in Norfolk. This service will be followed by a reception in his memory at 2:30pm. Location to be shared at the Memorial Service. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in David's memory to a charity of the donor's choice.