Shirley Temple Sutherland

Shirley Hay Sutherland, age 90, of Marengo, passed away peacefully on Sunday, December 7, 2025, at Bennington Glen.
Born on November 21, 1935, in Aily, Virginia, she was the daughter of the late Ira and Ruby (Deel) Hay.
Shirley graduated from Haysi High School in 1954, where she was an enthusiastic member of the girls' basketball team. She treasured her school community and rarely missed a class reunion, staying closely connected to her classmates throughout her life.
Shortly after graduation, Shirley moved from the mountains of southwest Virginia to Ohio, where she would build her life and raise her family. Before beginning her long career with the United States Postal Service, she worked at Kresgie's Department Store, North Electric, and Cosmo Plastics, where she also served as a Union Shop Steward. She met her future husband, T. Ray Sutherland, in Ohio, though both had grown up in the same region of Virginia. They were married on July 5, 1955, and shared more than sixty years of devoted marriage before his passing in 2015.
For over twenty years, Shirley worked as a clerk for the United States Postal Service, serving briefly as Marengo Postmaster. She retired in 1995. She and Ray were longtime and faithful attendees of Morrow Bible Church, where their steady presence and quiet faith were well known.
Shirley was deeply gifted in the things that make a home flourish. She was a prolific vegetable gardener and canner, known for the abundance of what she grew and preserved. She was a skilled cook, preparing a wide range of traditional dishes that defined family gatherings. She was also the family's seamstress, repairing clothing with care and precision. Above all, she was always willing to make time for others and shoulder whatever task was needed.
She enjoyed traveling throughout much of the United States with Ray, including a memorable trip to Hawaii before his passing. Later in life, she journeyed to Australia with dear friends. She also cherished returning to Virginia whenever she could to visit her extended family. Yet the greatest joy of her life was her own children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
She is survived by her children: Brandon (Jacqueline) Sutherland of Delaware, Ohio; Becky (Ronald) Margraff; and Barbara (Randy) Wilkinson, both of Marengo.
She is also survived by her grandchildren: Grant (Amy), Aaron (Jennifer), Abigail (Justin), Amanda (Ron), Laura (Andrew), Ben (Kassandra), Tina, Rachel (Ben), Jacob (Corissa), and Freddie.
Her great-grandchildren: Maddalyn (Michael), Hannah, Jack, Brody, Dakota, Alayna, Jackson, Cheyenne, Nathaniel, Judah, Natalie, Gemma, Corbin, Lydia, Granger, Joanna, Liam, Arthur, Reuben, Rhys, Elizabeth, Shirley, Mabel, and Lucas.
And her great-great-grandson, Samuel.
Shirley is also survived by her sisters-in-law: Madge Hay of Jackson, Kentucky; Blanche Sutherland of Birchleaf, Virginia; and Mary Sue Sutherland of Big Stone Gap, Virginia; and by numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.
All of Shirley's siblings: Dolores Owens, James Hay, Loretta Adkins, Ira M. Hay, Kenneth Hay, and Wayne Hay, preceded her in death, along with her beloved husband Ray and her parents.
Friends may visit with the family on Friday, December 12, 2025, from 6:00–8:00 p.m. at the Snyder Funeral Homes, DeVore Chapel, 637 N. State Route 61, Sunbury, Ohio.
A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, December 13, 2025, at the same location. Pastor Stephen Howard will officiate. Burial will follow in Marengo Cemetery, with a light meal afterward at the Marengo United Methodist Church.
The family would like to express their sincere gratitude to the compassionate staff of Bennington Glen and to the team at Bella Care Hospice for the exceptional care they provided to Shirley in her final months.
The Snyder Funeral Home, DeVore Chapel, is honored to serve the Sutherland family.