Frank Allan Suttle – 50th Reunion Essay

Frank Allan Suttle

Date of Death: 18-Aug-2002

College: Ezra Stiles

(This memorial appeared in the Pasadena Star-News on August 22, 2002 and was reprinted on the Class Website.)

Frank Allan Suttle passed away peacefully at his home in Pasadena, CA, with his loving family by his side. He will be remembered as a devoted father, a beloved husband, and an extraordinary human being by the many people whose lives he touched over the years. Full of humor, compassion, and goodwill; a family man and an avid outdoorsman; Allan excelled at living life to its fullest and enriched the world with his presence. Allan is survived by his wife of 33 years, Dawn; and his two sons, Brooks, age 22, and Cole, age 19. Other survivors include a twin brother, Lloyd of Woodbridge, Conn; a younger brother, Jim of Dodge City, Kansas; and parents, Mary and Frank Suttle of Columbiana, Ala.

Born May 28, 1947 in Birmingham, Alabama, Allan grew up on a small farm outside the city, graduating from Shelby County High School in 1965, the same year his family was named “Alabama’s Family of the Year”. He went on to receive his BA in economics from Yale University in 1969, marrying his high school sweetheart that same year, and earned an MBA from the Harvard Business School in 1972. After school he moved to Atlanta where he would start a family and spend ten years working for Lithonia Lighting. In 1982 he moved his wife and son to Dallas, Texas, to become part owner of Dal-Lite Sales. There he dedicated himself to his work and his family, and his second son was born. In 1988 he moved to Pasadena, California and bought California Lighting Sales, where he has been President and Owner for the last 14 years.

In addition to his passion for his work, Allan was also an avid fly-fisher, enjoyed skiing and family vacations, and was a regular figure on the sidelines of his sons’ sporting events, which he rarely ever missed.