After graduating from Seymour High School she began her
professional career working for companies such as M&M Mars and Chicago
Title and Trust where she handled the escrow for the Sears Tower. It was in Chicago where she met and married
Roger Sutherland. During their travels
they lived briefly in South Dakota where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in teaching
at Vermillion University, later moving to Illinois where they had a Son
(Christopher). After a few years they
returned to Wisconsin where she taught high school English, French, and History
at Pulaski High School and then finally settled back in Seymour. After their divorce, Colleen raised Chris
while working as a singer/storyteller, performing at the Kennedy Center in
Washington D.C. and internationally as far away as New Zealand.
Colleen was a published author and contributor to the arts
having acted and directed community plays as well as directing choir, singing,
and playing piano in church and worked with developmentally disabled children
at Syble Hopp School. Later in life she
was elected to the Seymour city council and drove such community projects as
establishing a farmer’s market and a tree lined walking trail between
neighboring communities. Always an
environmentalist, Colleen was a regular at the crane counts and sturgeon
guard. She attended peaceful protests
supporting teachers and the environment.
An avid gardener, she was always happy to cut flowers from her front
yard for children passing by on their way to school. In her retirement years, she took great joy
in spending time with her Grandson Evan and camping with Gary, her partner of
30 years.
She was known to say that if something didn’t go wrong while
traveling that there would be nothing to write about. All mishaps while traveling the world were
great writing material. She had many
amazing stories to share with everyone she met.
She is survived by her son, Christopher (Tisha) Sutherland,
grandson Evan Sutherland, her partner for over thirty years Gary Harms, sisters
Karen (Raymond) Nellis, Jeanne Doersch, Joan Downs, and brother Carl (Sue)
Doersch. She is also survived by many
nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents, sister Diane
Doersch, great-nephew Tony Loniello, and brother-in-law Dee Downs.
To honor her wishes no services or memorial will be held.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to
support organizations such as Wisconsin Public Television, Fox Valley Brain
Tumor Coalition, the Nature Conservancy, or The Sierra Club.
The Sutherland family would like to thank the doctors and
nursing staff that provided such excellent care during her final months and
Colleen’s friends and family who were a part of her extraordinary life.
