The Beginning

My father, Michael Ray Sutton, Sr., was born on Sunday November 7th, 1943 in Sikeston, Missouri, to William Henry Sutton and Mavis Margaret Collins Sutton. He was the 4th of 6 living children born to my paternal grandparents.

Dad when he was about 6 years old.

Dad's family was very poor, as my grandfather was a farmer and my grandmother stayed home to raise the children and take care of the house. They moved around a lot because of my grandfather's work, mainly staying in Missouri, Arkansas, and Mississippi. Dad spent several summers in the tiny town of Mayersville, MS, with Mr. and Mrs. White, who owned a general store. Every time Dad mentioned the Whites, or Mayersville in general, I could tell he had fond memories of staying there. His face always lit up, and he had a funny anecdote to share about his time spent there. One memory Dad shared with me that sticks out in my mind is of when Mr. White taught him to drive; I think Dad was about 10 years old. Keep in mind they were out in the country, in the middle of nowhere, so the risk of anyone getting hurt was slim to none.

Even after Dad grew into an adult, married Mom, and moved to Memphis, my parents would still make several trips down to Vicksburg, MS, (where Mom and Dad met) to visit my Mom's sister and her husband (my Aunt Lynne and Uncle Raymond). Many times they would stop in Mayersville to reminisce and see how things in Mayersville had changed. I had the privilege of passing through Mayersville a few times with Dad and Mom, and Dad would show me where Mr. & Mrs. White's store used to be, where the post office was, and other little things he remembered. Mayersville is right on a levee on the bank of the Mississippi River, and Dad would drive by and tell me how on his first date with Mom, he drove up the side of the levee and scared the stew out of her. Another story Dad shared with me happened after he and Mom had married, and they went to Mayersville for a visit, taking their German Shepherd, Grant, with them. Grant wanted out of the car because he saw a cow grazing on the levee. Dad let Grant out of the car, and Grant (thinking he was invincible) started barking at this cow. The cow looked at him, mooed as loud as she possibly could, and Grant nearly broke his neck trying to get back in the car. Dad always cracked up every time he told that story.