Gardner-Webb Alumnus and Retired Navy Commander John E. Sutton Speaks at University’s Annual Memorial Day Observance

Service Remembers the Lives of Those who Died in Military Service to Their Country

BOILING SPRINGS, N.C.—The Memorial Day Observance at Gardner-Webb University on May 23 featured retired Navy Commander John E. “JES” Sutton as the featured speaker. A 1976 alumnus, Sutton presented a brief history of Memorial Day. He noted, in particular, the stories of courage and sacrifice that impact his reflective approach to the day.

Each year, the University holds the service to remember the lives of those who have died in military service to their country. The national Memorial Day observance dates back to 1868 when Americans started gathering in their communities to decorate soldiers’ graves and pay tribute to their fallen heroes. The day was established as a federal holiday in 1971.

In his remarks, Interim Gardner-Webb President Nate Evans observed, “Today we honor the brave men and women who laid down their lives in service to their country—ordinary citizens who performed extraordinary acts of courage. Their sacrifices have shaped our history and safeguarded the freedoms we so often take for granted. Let us carry their legacy forward not just in ceremony but in how we live, how we serve and how we remember them.”

The invocation was led by Vice President for Christian Life and Service and University Chaplain Dr. Josh Parrott. Gardner-Webb student Zander Bryant sung the national anthem. Adjunct Instructor and retired U.S. Air Force Colonel Dr. Jim Rennie led the Responsive Reading of Psalm 67:1-7.

Sutton talked about the soldiers who had given their lives in service to their country from American patriots of the Revolutionary War, Nathan Hale and the Over Mountain Men, to those who died during battles in Belgium during World War I and on the sea during World War II. “We want to honor those who fought for our freedom,” Sutton affirmed. “Another responsibility we have is to teach each other and the next generation about those sacrifices.”

He invited those in attendance to observe the “National Moment of Remembrance” that happens every year on Memorial Day. At 3 p.m. local time, Americans are asked to pause wherever they are for one minute to remember those who have died in military service to the United States.  

Sutton earned a degree in mathematics from Gardner-Webb. He grew up in Brazil, where his parents served as missionaries for the Southern Baptist Convention. In 1972, Sutton left his home in Rio de Janeiro to attend college in America. He met his wife, Rosie, at GWU, and they were married in 1976.

During the summer of 1975, Sutton applied for a commission in the U.S. Navy to work as a nuclear engineer. He enlisted in October 1975, attended Officer Candidate School in Rhode Island, and received his commission in November 1976. He retired from active duty in 2005 while stationed at the NATO headquarters at Brunssum, the Netherlands. He continued working as a government contractor until he fully retired and permanently moved to Elizabethton, Tenn., in 2009. The Suttons have four children and ten grandchildren.

After Sutton’s remarks, Vice President for Student Development and Dean of Students Lesley Villarose conducted a Remembrance of the Fallen. She rang the bell 21 times, the highest military honor to those who died defending freedom and democracy. Afterward, Associate Vice President of Marketing Wilson Brooks played Taps.

Evans gave closing remarks, and Associate Minister for Community Engagement and Athletic Ministries Isaiah Crawford said the benediction.

Gardner-Webb University is North Carolina’s recognized leader in private, Christian higher education. A Carnegie-Classified Doctoral/Professional University, GWU is home to nine colleges and schools, more than 80 undergraduate and graduate majors, and a world-class faculty. Located on a beautiful 225-acre campus in Boiling Springs, N.C., Gardner-Webb prepares graduates to impact their chosen professions, equips them with the skills to advance the frontiers of knowledge, and inspires them to make a positive and lasting difference in the lives of others. Ignite your future at Gardner-Webb.edu.