Term: 2000 to 2001

Photo by Jeannette Michelson

Past president Cathy Sutton embodies the words of Maya Angelou in her “determination to live life with flare and laughter.” Anyone who meets Cathy quickly sees the enthusiasm and positive approach she brings to whatever she does.

Born in Delaware County, PA, Cathy attended Marjorie Webster Junior College in Washington, DC in the 60s where she studied to be a medical technician. Cathy shared the unusual circumstances in which she met her husband, Bill. She was a medical assistant when Bill was having some dental work done when he passed out. When Bill came to, there was Cathy whom he proceeded to ask for a date and they have been together ever since. Cathy and Bill raised two daughters and now enjoying five grandchildren.

Cathy‘s love of LBI is ingrained in her having come here since she was a year old. Her family started in Brant Beach and moved to Loveladies in 1960 for the summers. In 1995 when Cathy retired, she transitioned to the island full-time finding the leisure time to pursue many activities through the Barnegat Light Yacht Club. Being a vegetarian and enjoying gardening, Cathy looked into the Garden Club of Long Beach Island. She went to a meeting not knowing a soul. Cathy explained how Shirley Hansen and Jackie Oberg introduced themselves and made her feel so warm and welcome. That was the beginning of passion to serve in our club which continues to this day.

During Cathy’s presidency, she attempted to put a recipe in the newsletter that members could enjoy making vegetable recipes from her own garden. It was also during this time the Edith Duff Gwenn Garden won an award from the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. Cathy has chaired for our annual house tour for 15 tours out of 23. Her first experience was at Harvey Cedars Bible Conference which happened to be part of the tour about 23 years ago. She explained how she and Mary Turner created all nativity scenes as their theme. She has also been instrumental in her volunteering and working with the Senior Services up to the present.

Cathy said that she has always lived life on the wild side… snowboarding, scuba, diving, mountain, climbing, and working with Bill to build a plane which is housed that Ocean County airport.  But more than that, Cathy’s sense of serving others through the Barnegat Light Yacht Club and our club is what she has kept her close to the island even though she and Bill since moved to the mainland. As a lifelong club member, those who know Cathy or have been fortunate enough to work with her, recognize that she lives by her philosophy of taking things with a grain of salt and using laughter to the fullest!