Lea
Lea Ward Sutker
d. March 19, 2015
Lea Ward Sutker, born in Savannah, GA, January 10, 1916, to Frank and Bertha Rubenstein Ward, died March 19th in Charlottesville, VA, where she moved in 2012.
She married Karl A. Sutker in 1935. They owned a clothing/appliance store in Walterboro, SC, and helped start a synagogue there before moving to Beaufort, SC, to open Beaufort Yacht Basin, a marina on the Intracoastal Waterway, and The Galley restaurant. After 1955, she worked at Schein's and Fox Jewelers in Beaufort, managed United 5&10, and then joined People's Bank, retiring in 1986 as a branch manager.
She made sure her children attended musical events at community concerts and Sunday school at Beth Israel Synagogue. For several years she led one of Beaufort's first Girl Scout troops. Those Scouts remained in touch, sending cards and gifts, and visiting. She remembered each fondly. She and Karl played duplicate bridge regularly. A fierce Scrabble player, Mama Lea enjoyed games with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Karl, a wonderful cook, taught Lea to create delicious food, a joy of her life. She shared homemade cookies, cakes, and bread with friends and family. In retirement, Lea began crocheting afghans for family and friends. After Karl's death in 1994, living at Rivers Edge in Savannah, she began a knitting and crocheting club, making lap robes for nursing homes and hospice. As her eyesight failed, she continued to crochet, wanting to help people less fortunate. National Library for the Blind audiobooks entertained Lea, an avid reader.
She said her greatest accomplishment in life was her family. Extremely proud of her children, she loved spending time with them, her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She always knew where each one was traveling, and when he or she was due to return home.
Her husband Karl, her parents, sister, Evelyn (Ebbie) Ward Karsman and her young brother, Marvin Pershing Ward predeceased her. She is survived by Suzanne (Suzy) Sutker Cashwell and Linda Sutker Cope, and their husbands Richard (Dick) and John Cope, and by Lawrence (Larry) Sutker and his wife Patricia (Patty). Grandchildren: Peter (Kelly Dalton) and David (Pam) Cashwell; Joshua (Molly), Indira (Ernesto Flores), Juliana (Ethan Gamache), and Michael (Catherine Cronin) Cope; Megan Leah (Chad) Sutker Hackman, Colin (Andrea Jacobs) and Gordon Sutker. Great-grandchildren: Ian and Dixon Cashwell, Samuel and Benjamin Cashwell, Zachary and Jacob Cope, Whitney Flores, Richard, Maeve, and Aine Cope, Nina Gamache, Arlo Sutker, and Harrison Hackman. She leaves cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends, all of whom she loved very much.
The Funeral service will be held at 1 o' clock Sunday afternoon, March 22, 2015 at the graveside, Bonaventure Cemetery.
A reception following the service will be at the Courtyard, 6703 Abercorn Street.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions to Congregation Agudath Achim, 9 Lee Boulevard, Savannah, GA 31405, to Beth Israel Congregation, PO Box 328, Beaufort, SC 29901, or to a favorite library or musical organization.
She married Karl A. Sutker in 1935. They owned a clothing/appliance store in Walterboro, SC, and helped start a synagogue there before moving to Beaufort, SC, to open Beaufort Yacht Basin, a marina on the Intracoastal Waterway, and The Galley restaurant. After 1955, she worked at Schein's and Fox Jewelers in Beaufort, managed United 5&10, and then joined People's Bank, retiring in 1986 as a branch manager.
She made sure her children attended musical events at community concerts and Sunday school at Beth Israel Synagogue. For several years she led one of Beaufort's first Girl Scout troops. Those Scouts remained in touch, sending cards and gifts, and visiting. She remembered each fondly. She and Karl played duplicate bridge regularly. A fierce Scrabble player, Mama Lea enjoyed games with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Karl, a wonderful cook, taught Lea to create delicious food, a joy of her life. She shared homemade cookies, cakes, and bread with friends and family. In retirement, Lea began crocheting afghans for family and friends. After Karl's death in 1994, living at Rivers Edge in Savannah, she began a knitting and crocheting club, making lap robes for nursing homes and hospice. As her eyesight failed, she continued to crochet, wanting to help people less fortunate. National Library for the Blind audiobooks entertained Lea, an avid reader.
She said her greatest accomplishment in life was her family. Extremely proud of her children, she loved spending time with them, her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She always knew where each one was traveling, and when he or she was due to return home.
Her husband Karl, her parents, sister, Evelyn (Ebbie) Ward Karsman and her young brother, Marvin Pershing Ward predeceased her. She is survived by Suzanne (Suzy) Sutker Cashwell and Linda Sutker Cope, and their husbands Richard (Dick) and John Cope, and by Lawrence (Larry) Sutker and his wife Patricia (Patty). Grandchildren: Peter (Kelly Dalton) and David (Pam) Cashwell; Joshua (Molly), Indira (Ernesto Flores), Juliana (Ethan Gamache), and Michael (Catherine Cronin) Cope; Megan Leah (Chad) Sutker Hackman, Colin (Andrea Jacobs) and Gordon Sutker. Great-grandchildren: Ian and Dixon Cashwell, Samuel and Benjamin Cashwell, Zachary and Jacob Cope, Whitney Flores, Richard, Maeve, and Aine Cope, Nina Gamache, Arlo Sutker, and Harrison Hackman. She leaves cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends, all of whom she loved very much.
The Funeral service will be held at 1 o' clock Sunday afternoon, March 22, 2015 at the graveside, Bonaventure Cemetery.
A reception following the service will be at the Courtyard, 6703 Abercorn Street.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions to Congregation Agudath Achim, 9 Lee Boulevard, Savannah, GA 31405, to Beth Israel Congregation, PO Box 328, Beaufort, SC 29901, or to a favorite library or musical organization.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Lea Ward Sutker, please visit our flower store.
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