Dr. Sally Sutton Obituary

Sara E. (Sally) Sutton, D.O., died on July 27, 2024, after a long professional career including Family Practice and Osteopathic Manual Medicine, both of which she was certified. Her years of practice were in Renwick, Fort Dodge, and Des Moines, Iowa. She retired at the age of 88.

Sally is survived by her sister-in-law, June Sutton; brother-in-law, Don Washburn; as well as many nephews, nieces, and cousins including Barb and Chris. She was pre-deceased by brothers, Gerald H. and James Craig Sutton; sister, Mary Grace Washburn; sister-in-law, Calista; and nephews, William, Stan, Gery Sutton, Mark Washburn, and Barb Sutton.

Sally was born on July 6, 1926, in Des Moines to Lora Esther Craig and Gerald Harvey Sutton when the family lived in Woodbine, Iowa. They lived in Boone, Iowa from 1930 until 1942 when her father enlisted in the U. S. Army as a Chaplain. Esther moved the family to Des Moines in 1943, so she could finish her degree at Drake University. Sally graduated from Roosevelt High School in January 1944. After attending Drake for a semester, she worked for the Department of Instruction and at Drake until she enrolled at Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey, to study pipe organ and voice. After three years she returned to Drake to pursue pre-med studies. She matriculated at (then) Des Moines Still College of Osteopathy and Surgery (Now Des Moines University) from which she graduated in 1953. She interned at Farrow Hospital in Erie, Pennsylvania. She completed studies for her B.A. degree from Drake in 1958. Drake University bestowed a Doctorate in Humane Letters upon her on May 10, 1990.

Missing her involvement in choral music, she organized and sang in the Fort Dodge Choral Society in 1968; and it is still a very viable organization.

She served as an adjunct professor for many years, mostly for Des Moines University and Kirksville, often hosting the students in her home as students fulfilled four-month F.P. rotations. In 1990, she moved to Des Moines where she served on the F.P. faculty at Des Moines University for five years. She was Director of the F.P. Residency program at Des Moines General Hospital in 1996-97. She taught part-time at then Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine from 1991-1998, after which she established a practice in osteopathic manipulation in her home.

Sally held many offices in her District and state osteopathic organizations, but most importantly in the American Academy of Osteopathy of which she was President in 1969-70, then Secretary from 1970-74. She served on the Board of Trustees of (now) Des Moines University from 1968 to 1990, and became an Adjunct member of the Board.

Sally was a member of Westminster Presbyterian Church from 1995 until she joined Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ in 2013. She was also a member of Chapter KT of PEO.

Sally had many interests and hobbies, including cooking, hosting, knitting, music, needlework, gardening, writing, travel, antiques and collecting cookbooks. In 2003, Sally published Dr. Sally’s Cookbook, - - With and Without Sin! It is an 800 recipe cookbook, with recipes gathered from family and friends.

A memorial gathering will be held from 4-6pm, Friday, August 9, 2024 at Iles Dunn's Chapel, 2121 Grand Avenue, Des Moines, Iowa 50312. A memorial service will be held at 11am, Saturday, August 10, 2024 at Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ, 4126 Ingersoll Avenue, Des Moines, Iowa 50312.

Online condolences are welcome at www.IlesCares.com.

Arrangements by Iles Dunn's Chapel.

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