Obituary of Elizabeth A Sutman
Elizabeth Allen Sutman, 96, of Basking Ridge, New Jersey passed away Sunday, July 28, 2019 at Fellowship Village surrounded by her family. She was predeceased by her husbands, John Ackerson in 1965, William Heine in 1985 and Robert Sutman in 2003. Elizabeth was born in 1923 in Proctor, Vermont; the daughter of the late Dr. Truman Allen and Gertrude May Vaughan. She graduated from Middlebury College in 1945. Following graduation, Elizabeth joined her college friends and moved to Westfield, New Jersey where she started working for the Westfield Medical Center. As a Westfield resident, she was a volunteer with the Westfield Service League and a member of Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church, Westfield Tennis Club and Echo Lake Country Club. She was one of the first residents and “pioneers” when she moved to her home at Fellowship Village in 1996. In addition, she enjoyed her summers at her home in Normandy Beach, New Jersey with family and friends.
Elizabeth is survived by her daughter, Robin Ackerson Peterson and her husband, Francis; her son, John Ackerson III and his wife, Pamela; her step-daughter, Lindsey Columbo and her husband, Robert; her step-son, William Sutman and his wife, Jennifer; her step-son, Frank Sutman, her step-son, Fred Heine and his wife, Jane and her step-son, William Heine and his wife, Yolanda. In addition, she is survived by four grandchildren and their spouses, Dana Young and her husband, Geoffrey, Derek Peterson and his wife, Jacqueline, Kristin Welch and her husband, David and Michael Ackerson and his wife, Erica as well as step-grandchildren, Andrew, Kevin and Daniel Sutman. Elizabeth also had seven great grandchildren, Gavin, Karin and Alex Young, Aiden and Griffin Welch and Camden and Eliana Elizabeth Ackerson. They called their beloved grandmother Bibi, Beebs and Beebers with great affection and devotion.
The family would like to give special thanks to all the wonderful staff at Fellowship Village and Fellowship Garden State Hospice.
In her personal file, Elizabeth kept Ralph Waldo Emerson’s definition of a successful life. A part of this definition of a successful life read “to laugh often and much…to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children…to find the best in others…to leave the world a bit better…to know that even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.” This truly embodied Elizabeth (Betts) Sutman.
A Celebration of Life will be held in memory of Elizabeth Sutman on August 3rd at Fellowship Village. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Fellowship Village Library 8000 Fellowship Road, Basking Ridge, NJ 07920. For further information, or to leave an online condolence message for the family, please visit gcfuneralhome.com.
