Published January 24, 2020
MELROSE — God called Frank Sutherby home on January 19, 2020, after a brief illness, with family by his side.
Frank was born and raised in Somerville to loving parents Cuthbert and Elizabeth Sutherby, who raised their six children, instilling in all a strong dedication to their faith and a love of family.
Frank was a member of the first graduating class of Matignon High School in 1949, and he retained his lifelong commitment to the school and its motto, “Efficiamur Christiferi,” which means, “Let Us Become Christ Bearers.” He was inducted into the first Matignon Hall of Fame, and he served for many years on their Alumni Association and Board. While at Matignon, Frank was a scholar-athlete who was starting point guard on Matignon’s first basketball team which ultimately made it to the Boston Garden to play in the Tech Tourney championship game on the parquet floor.
Shortly after high school, Frank met his bride of 65 years, his Queen, Mary Mooney, after being introduced by his three sisters Mary, Gert, and Rita, who welcomed Mary as their dear sister. Their courtship involved long bus and train rides for Frank as he traveled (and walked up many long hills) to see her in Malden. Together they attended dozens of Celtics games watched from the balcony of the Boston Garden and attended Benediction on Wednesday nights. Theirs was a true love story, and they built their life together, with God.
After graduating high school, Frank worked for several years as an accounting clerk. He returned to his alma mater Matignon to watch a basketball game in 1954, the year he married Mary, and at the suggestion and recommendation of the Matignon spiritual Director who was also at the game, he enrolled in Northeastern University’s evening program with a partial scholarship. He earned his bachelor’s degree over six years while raising his first six children, graduating at the age of 28. In the same year, 1960, he earned his CPA certificate, and he was inducted into Northeastern’s Sigma Epsilon Rho.
After several years in Somerville, Frank and Mary moved to Malden and welcomed three additional children. They were active members of St. Joseph Parish and were among the founding members of the Christian Family Movement (CFM). He also was President of the Holy Name Society, on the leadership team of the Knights of Columbus, and active with CCD and Parish Council.
Frank and Mary and their nine children moved to Melrose in 1975 where they lived for more than 43 years at their home on Boston Rock Road that was affectionately called The Rock. Through these years, they welcomed 14 grandchildren and one great-grandson. They became active members of St. Mary’s parish where they became friends with many through weekly Mass attendance, particularly those who sat near their usual spot, and they developed strong friendships with kind and supportive neighbors.
Frank and his five siblings never moved far from their roots in Somerville and all remained strong in their dedication to their faith and to their families. Frank and Mary remained close with Frank’s siblings and their spouses: Mary and Dan Noonan, George and Estelle Sutherby, Gert and John Marshall, Albert and Kathy Sutherby, and Rita and Frank Shaughnessy. Collectively, with their 38 children, they truly enjoyed each other’s company, and all in the family fondly remember hundreds of Saturday nights playing penny ante poker, cribbage matches (with holiday stakes), backyard barbeques, and vacation trips to New England lakes (somehow housing dozens of cousins in very small cottages).
Professionally, Frank moved on from his start as a clerk, excelling in public accounting. He became partner at J.K. Lasser & Company in 1968 and managing partner not long after. In 1977, Lasser merged with Touche Ross, which after another merger is now known as Deloitte. Frank often reflected that he never worked a day in his life; he loved what he did, and the relationships he developed with his many colleagues and clients reflect both his passion for the field and his true caring of others. As partner, he has mentored many, both on best practices in accounting methods and in modeling a life of integrity, humility, and dedication.
Frank lectured at Northeastern University Law School, Boston University Law School, and many other colleges. He authored the “Encyclopedia of Accounting for Motion Picture Theaters,” published by Prentice Hall. He was a member of the Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants (MSCPA) and served on its board of directors, and he served on the board of directors of General Cinema Companies.
Frank retired in 1992 at the age of 60. As much as he enjoyed work, he was thrilled to be able to spend time with his family. He and several of his siblings enjoyed weekly dinners at local favorite restaurants and regular visits to Foxwoods. They also traveled across the country together, and through the years vacationed in many favorite spots including Cape Cod, Aruba, Hawaii, and their favorite destination (49 visits), Bermuda.
In retirement, Frank thoroughly enjoyed spending time with his 14 grandchildren including Jennifer, Catherine, Brian, Amanda, Michael, Danielle, Dan, Andrew, Joe, Julie, Jaclyn, John, Grace, and Elizabeth, who now are ages 37 to 19. To his grandchildren, he was a master of making grilled cheeses, a loving beach bully, a maker of perfect hot dogs, a cribbage playing mentor, and a Mt. Hood Golf Course “Tour Guide” who spent many days at its playground and on its fairway fringes, hunting for golf balls and turtles.
Frank played many sports through the years: Weekend golf outings with children and grandchildren, thousands of basketball games in the driveway of the Rock where all routinely saw the shot that made him famous while he proclaimed that Experience defeats Youth, sledding and skating trips to Mount Hood, and tennis matches where his exceptional net game at times captured his famous move, the pirouette. He also had a black belt in Sudoku and was a master chessman.
Frank was dedicated to Mary and to providing for his family. He was loving father of Patricia M. Strazdins of Boxford, Kathleen M. Pellegrini and her husband John of Saugus, Rita M. Sutherby of Malden, John J. Sutherby and his wife Jeanne of Burlington, Marie F. Loschiavo and her husband James of Tewksbury, James F. Sutherby and his wife Linda of Tewksbury, Robert J. Sutherby of Saugus, Daniel J. Sutherby of Waltham, and Anne M. Marando and her husband Michael of Wakefield, and the late Elizabeth A. Sutherby.
Beyond his many academic, professional, and personal achievements, Frank Sutherby was a kind and selfless man with a welcome smile, the quickest of wits, a talent for story-telling and playful teasing, and a gift for making those around him feel at ease and appreciated. With faith and family at his core, Frank instilled in his children the value of education, raised them in the faith, and lived a life for all to model, as a Christ Bearer.
Visitation was held at the Gately Funeral Home, 79 W. Foster St. Melrose on Thursday, January 23. Funeral procession from Gately Funeral Home, was on Friday morning, January 24, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at St. Mary’s Church, 9 Herbert St. Melrose. Interment at St. Patrick Cemetery in Stoneham. Relatives and friends were respectfully invited to attend. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Frank’s name to the Francis E. Sutherby, Matignon H.S. Class of 1949 Scholarship Fund, 1 Matignon Rd., Cambridge, MA 02140-1099. For obituary or to send a message of condolence please visit www.gatelyfh.com.
