Elizabeth Annie Sutton

Elizabeth Annie Nickens Sutton of Baltimore, Maryland was born Monday, February 2, 1931 in Rehoboth Church, Wicomico District, Northumberland County, Virginia. She was the fifth of nine children born to the late Elzie Leroy Nickens and Eva Gertrude Carter Nickens of Kilmarnock, Lancaster County, Virginia. Annie, as she was known, was educated in the Lancaster County Public Schools and graduated from Julius Rosenwald High School, Reedville, VA, where she met her future husband. As a young girl, she learned to cook, sew, and garden, with a passion. Her mother Eva raised Annie and her sisters to be elegant and refined women. On September 16, 1954, Annie married Louis Howard Sutton in Baltimore, MD. From their union five children were born: Karen Elizabeth, Don Xavier, Mark Brian (deceased), Wanda Renea, and Dana Andre Sutton. After marrying Louis, Annie aspired to work in business and enrolled in and attended Cortez Peters Business School. After the birth of her first child Karen, Annie decided to manage her household, and become a “stay at home mom.” She was happy to love and nurture her family full-time. Annie did more than manage her home. She was a teacher, an artist, and a stylist. She was so good at cultivating flowers and plants that she could very easily have been a horticulturist. Additionally, she taught her daughters to sew so professionally that both Karen and Renea eventually designed and constructed their own clothing and wedding attire. Annie and Louis encouraged all of their children in education and training. Annie encouraged Renea to read the encyclopedia and dictionary regularly as a child, taught her how to manage a checkbook, and that training produced a child with a love for words, culture, finance, and technology. Elizabeth Annie was very proud of Karen’s chosen nursing profession and her love for teaching, genealogy, African-American history, and researching and preserving her own family’s history. Annie’s pride was never more evident than when Don chose to learn bricklaying in high school and when her baby boy Dana was successful in creating art, learning new things and new skills, in spite of his learning disabilities. Annie was as proud as any mother could be of all of her children. Joy overflowed within her, when Annie saw her grandchild Tiana, and her great-grandchildren. She and Louis loved and cherished them, and always talked about them until their last days. However, she was not just proud of her own children, grandchild, and great-grandchildren. She was proud of her siblings’ children and their children, as well. In addition to her own, photos and memorabilia of her nieces and nephew’s graduations, weddings, baby showers, and other family events decorated the Sutton home, and Annie enjoyed reminiscing about those times with family and friends. Annie Loved Her Family! Indeed Annie loved her family, but she had enough love for other peoples’ children too. The neighborhood children liked to gather in her yard to play and always enjoyed her cooking. When neighbors needed someone to look after their children, Annie gladly volunteered to babysit. On one occasion, a neighbor left their child in Annie’s care for three days, but Annie was happy to do it because she loved children so. She was a very important part of the large “village” that it takes to raise a child. Annie’s love of her family was only eclipsed by her love of the Lord. She a God-fearing woman and always showed her faith through her living and her deeds. She was baptized at Mount Olive Baptist Church, Wicomico Church, VA at an early age, where her father was a Deacon, and her uncle, Rev. JJ Nickens was pastor. She remained a faithful member until she moved to Baltimore. And often returned to worship there when visiting the area, and for Homecoming. In Baltimore she explored several churches before settling at Whitestone Baptist Church, where all of her children were baptized, and she remained a faithful member most of her adult life. Two of her favorite hymns were Blessed Assurance and His Eye Is On The Sparrow. She enjoyed the fellowship of the other congregants, particularly her sister and brother - in-law, Muriel and Purcell Carter, and Sister-in-law, “Little Anne” Nickens. In the twilight of her life, Annie fulfilled her daughter Karen’s dream by joining her in the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution. In fact, Annie’s application was approved on October 5, 2016. DAR is a volunteer women’s service organization, where membership requires tracing your lineage back to a person who served the cause of the American Revolutionary War. Annie’s Revolutionary War ancestor was Amos Nickens II, her 3rd Great Grandfather. Amos was a Free Man of Color who served as a Seaman in the Virginia State Navy, aboard the Sloop of War, the American Congress from 1778 to 1780. He was part of the Nickens Nine. After a full life and a long illness, while constantly surrounded by family and friends, Annie quietly soared to her heavenly home at St. Agnes Hospital on Saturday, October 15, 2016. She died as she lived, quietly and elegantly, as beautifully as a butterfly, floating gently o n the wind. Preceding Annie in death are: her parents, Elzie Leroy Nickens and Eva Gertrude Carter Nickens; her husband Louis Howard Sutton; one son, Mark Brian Sutton; three brothers, Elzie Leroy Nickens Sr., Savington William Lombard Nickens Sr., and Richard Samuel Nickens Sr.; brothers-in-law Purcell Elwood Carter Sr., Noah Henry Curry, Willie Ross, William Carol Toulson Sr., Mervin “Panny” Crockett, Aaron Noel, James Amos Sutton, Berkley Mack Sutton Jr., Kenneth “Kenny” Oxford, and Lawrence “Didi” Edgar Sutton; and sisters-in-law, Edith Rae Sutton Oxford, Ethel Louise Sutton Crockett Noel, Mary Lena Sutton Toulson, Julia Irene Sutton Ross, Elinora Tilley Sutton, Novella Butler Sutton, Bessie Turner Nickens, Emmarie Pryor Nickens and Shirley Pollard Nickens. Annie leaves to mourn their loss: two daughters, Karen Elizabeth Sutton of Baltimore, MD and Wanda Renea Sutton Camper (Nixon) of Hinesville, GA; two sons, Don Xavier Sutton (friend, Alice Williams), and Dana Andre Sutton, of Baltimore, MD; three sisters, Muriel Nickens Carter, Francis Nickens Stepter (William Sr.), and Sarah Nickens Curry; one brother, Luther Nickens; two sisters-in-law: Annie Nickens, and Mildred Sutton, all of Baltimore, MD; and one brother-in-law, William Shakespeare Sutton of Edwardsville, VA. She also leaves to cherish her memory: a granddaughter, Tiana Nickkiya Renea Camper Patterson (Keith); four great-grandchildren, Tobias Antwaunn Rasheim, Angelina Zahara Jalene, Maya Kaitlyn Marie, and Katherine Chrisette Badriya Patterson, all of Augusta, GA., and a host of special nieces and nephews, cousins, other relatives, friends, and neighbors.

Tributes

Elizabeth Annie Sutton

February 2, 1931 - October 15, 2016