Obituary of Donald G. Sutherland, Jr.

Donald G. Sutherland, Jr., 70, passed away at home on Saturday, February 13, with his wife and children at his side, after a very brave battle with cancer. He was the son of the late Dr. Donald G. Sutherland and Elizabeth Becker Sutherland. Born in Albany, Don was raised in Voorheesville, NY. He graduated from Clayton A. Bouton High School and SUNY Albany. He received his Master of Public Administration from the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy. Don’s career spanned 37 years at the NYS Department of Labor, where he retired in 2011 as a Principal Administrative Analyst. Don always enjoyed sports and lived the ups and downs of a long-term fan of the NY Yankees and NY Giants. In later years, he was happy to frequent Florida Grapefruit League games. He was also an avid reader who occasionally allowed a novel to interrupt his usual histories and biographies. Above all, Don’s lifelong passion was music. He attended many concerts and spent endless hours collecting and listening to rock and roll, punk rock, alternative, reggae, hip-hop, world and roots music, and in his fifties, he also became devoted to jazz. Always a collector, he built a large jazz library in a few short years. His family played John Coltrane’s “A Love Supreme” for him on his last day. Don’s first illness began seven years ago with a diagnosis of pulmonary fibrosis. He had a successful single-lung transplant in 2016 at New York-Presbyterian/Columbia, which added almost five precious years to his life. With this additional time, he was able to spend winters in Florida as well as travel to Cape Cod, Acadia National Park in Maine, Montreal and Paris. The family wishes to encourage everyone to consider the gift of organ donation. Don is survived by his wife of 41 years, Nancy Dunn Sutherland; his daughter Heather E. Sutherland of New York City and his son Alex D. Sutherland of Schenectady; and his sister Cheryl A. Sutherland of Shingle Springs, California. The family plans to hold a graveside gathering for friends and family in late spring at Bethlehem Cemetery. Contributions in his memory may be made to the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York, 965 Albany-Shaker Road, Latham, NY 12110.