Obituaries: James Sutherland

  • Wednesday November 20, 2024
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James Sutherland
James Sutherland

June 6, 1942 — October 25, 2024

Jim died after heart surgery October 25, 2024 in Bellingham, Washington.

Born in Hartford, Connecticut on June 26, 1942, he lived in Colorado, Washington and Hawaii, settling in San Francisco.

An avid bicyclist, Jim crossed the U.S. twice. The second trip was with Cycle for Life, the first AIDS bike-a-thon. The 70-day ride aimed to raise national AIDS awareness and funds to fight the disease.

Jim had many jobs, including railroad yard worker, bank clerk, postal employee, and legal secretary. In the late 1980s, Jim and his partner, Michael Goldberg, moved to Portland, Oregon, where he bought a home. After Michael passed away in 2003, Jim moved to Bellingham. He began traveling in a small RV, splitting his time between Bellingham and Yuma, Arizona.

Jim leaves behind many relatives (siblings, nieces, and nephews) in Connecticut, Nebraska, and Florida. Many of his friends in California, Washington, Oregon, and Texas have been profoundly affected by his passing.

Special thanks to his friends Linda and Paul who made decisions in Jim's last days and guided him home to be at peace.

There will be a Zoom memorial December 14 at 1 p.m. Pacific Time. Email [email protected] for the link.

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