Jon Sutherlin

Aug 25, 1961 -

Jan 16, 2023

Surrounded by his loving wife, stepdaughter and friends, Jon Sutherlin died early on the morning of Jan. 16, 2023, at the age of 61. Jon was a lifelong Alaskan, despite his birth in Colorado Springs on Aug. 25, 1961. His parents, Dr. Robert and Mrs. Darlene Sutherlin, corrected that aberrant locale when, along with his three brothers and two sisters, grandmother Sutherlin and the family cat, they piled into their Rambler and drove to Alaska in 1964, launching a life firmly tethered to the people, places, beauty and lifestyle of the north.

Jon's 35-year aviation career took him throughout Alaska, beginning with L.A.B in Haines, then flying statewide with ERA and running LifeGuard Med-Evac, and culminating with his Captain seat at Alaska Airlines. In his off-hours, he could often be found fly-fishing his secret spots in the bountiful trout rivers of Western and Southeast Alaska or happily casting near Chelatna Lake, his beloved floatplane anchored nearby. Autumn would find him bird hunting with his faithful dog Bo by his side, in the nearby duck flats or the fields of Kansas. When he wasn't casting, hunting or flying, he was on the ice playing hockey with his adult league or cheering on his Alaska Aces, where he relished pounding the boards from the best seats in the house.

Jon possessed a straightforwardness balanced with humility, honesty and frankness, and many times sprinkled with humor and a twinkle in his eyes. He suffered no fools and took care sharing his time, attentiveness and thoughtfulness with those he liked, mentored and loved. His kindness was ever-present despite his messaging techniques. He was a consummate storyteller and loved having friends join him on some of his fly-fishing trips because he'd heard all his own stories. He played guitar and his singing voice was distinct and soulful. His relationships were his heart and soul. He was self-determined; even his fifth-grade teacher saw something special in him, telling him he'd either wind up in prison or as president. He was authentic, generous, compassionate, brilliant, ever-so-cool, and his quiet strength and calm were contagious. Jon was one-of-a-kind.

Jon experienced the joy of his life when, on July 4, 2014, he married his true love, Heather, and became a parent to Brooke. The annual fireworks in their honor never gets old. He loved to stage romantic mystery weekends, extending their courtship into their years of marriage, and anchoring his new family deeply in his heart. They were perfect partners in every way, and he was a phenomenal husband and dad.

Jon had endured and survived many experiences that could have cut his life short, not the least of which was the crash in 2017 when his engine quit, and he had to put the float plane down on a neighborhood street. He walked away from that and made sure no one else was hurt. He cared for others; he was a survivor. The three years that Jon stood up to his cancer were the ultimate challenge and it took him too soon, but Jon wanted everyone to know that he didn't lose a fight … he simply stopped identifying as an indestructible cockroach.

Jon is survived by his wife, Heather Sutherlin; daughter, Brooke Wagner; parents, Dr. and Mrs. Sutherlin; brother, Mark and wife Lisa; brother, Steve and wife Shara; brother, Jeff; sisters, Sherri and Kathy; many cousins, nieces and nephews; and an abundance of friends who have shared his journey. He made friends everywhere he went, and his was a life well-lived. He will be dearly missed by all who love him.

There will be a laying-in ceremony on Feb. 10, 2023, at 2 p.m. at Recompose in the Sodo District of Seattle. Due to limited seating capacity, there will be a Zoom invitation posted to the Jon Sutherlin Memorial Facebook page. A recording will be available for those who cannot watch live. For those not on social media, there will be an e-vite at the following links: http://evite.me/zPDCTa3kx7 and http://evite.me/t4HFM5PJH2.

There will be a tribute party for Jon held at the venue where Jon took Heather on their first date: The 49th State Brewing Company Theatre, formerly the Snow Goose, on March 25, 2023, from 4-8 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, please consider contributing to the scholarship fund in Jon's name that Heather will establish at a future date to help lift those who yearn for a career in aviation.