Gardner-Webb Alumnus and Retired Navy Commander John E. Sutton is Speaker for University’s Memorial Day Observance

Ceremony will be Held on May 23 at 11 a.m. in Dover Chapel

BOILING SPRINGS, N.C.—Gardner-Webb will host its Memorial Day Observance on Friday, May 23, at 11 a.m. in Dover Chapel, and the public is welcome to attend. Each year, the University sets aside this time 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.

Retired U.S. Navy Commander John E. “JES” Sutton will be the featured speaker. He is a 1976 alumnus of Gardner-Webb University with a degree in mathematics.

The service will begin with a welcome and invocation by Vice President for Christian Life and Service and University Chaplain Dr. Josh Parrott. Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Music Dr. Aaron Rice will sing the national anthem. Adjunct Instructor and retired U.S. Air Force Colonel Dr. Jim Rennie will lead the Responsive Reading of Psalm 67:1-7.

Interim Gardner-Webb President Nate Evans, who is also a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, will introduce Sutton. “Memorial Day is a special time for our community to pause and reflect on the high cost of freedom,” Evans asserted. “Through this observance, we are reminded of the courage and sacrifice of those who paid the ultimate price for our nation’s freedoms. We are grateful to Commander Sutton for his service to our nation and for joining us on this important occasion.”

The retired commander 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 Oregon State University. After one quarter, Sutton transferred to Gardner-Webb to finish his degree. 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 will conduct a Remembrance of the Fallen. Silence is observed as the bell tolls 21 times, the highest military honor to those who died defending freedom and democracy. Afterward, Associate Vice President of Marketing Wilson Brooks will play Taps.

Evans will have closing remarks, and Associate Minister for Community Engagement and Athletic Ministries Isaiah Crawford will say 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.