William Norman Sutherlin

William "Bill" Norman Sutherlin, 90, of Ozark went home to be with the Lord on Friday, January 6, 2023 at the Missouri Baptist Home. He rejoins his wife, Martha, who preceded him earlier last year.

Bill was born on June 4, 1932 in Van Buren, MO; the son of Eugene Marvin and Ruth Pearl (Reed) Sutherlin. In 1960 he married Martha Tarrant in Springfield, MO and together they shared 62 years of marriage before her passing in October 2022.

Bill was born artistic and creative, two traits that he paired with his strong work ethic and servant's heart. From his youth, Bill was an adventurous man. He would often pick up his younger cousin in his small car and disappear for weeks at a time. No doubt, his adventurous streak and servant's heart helped to guide him during his stint in the US Army from 1952-54 during the Korean War.

Continuing his arc of service for others, Bill returned to school and eventually earned several degrees including two Bachelor's degrees, two Master's degrees, and one Doctorate. Bill taught Mathematics for the rest of his career, first in Mountain Grove, MO; then several years in Anchorage, AK; and finally retiring as a Professor of Mathematics at Southwest Missouri State University (now Missouri State University).

Bill was a faithful Christian. He and his wife, Martha helped to plant Ridgecrest Baptist Church in Springfield and Evergreen Baptist Church in Willard. For 7 years, the couple loved to travel God's country in an RV working on church rebuilding projects.

In his personal time, Bill enjoyed hobbies such as gardening, woodworking, and beekeeping. Even these hobbies, he used as a way to give back by helping others to till or plant, or giving away small hand-made wooden knick-knacks and honey. 

A Celebration of Life for Bill will be held at 2:00 P.M. on Tuesday, January 17, 2023 in the chapel at Ridgecrest Baptist Church in Springfield, MO.