Donald B. Sutherland, 81, passed away peacefully on Friday, May 9, 2025 at the Blaire House in Tewksbury after a period of declining health. He was the beloved husband of Gabriele I. Bronner, with whom he shared over 60 years of marriage.
Born in Boston on October 5, 1943, he was the son of the late Douglas and Marie (Metcalf) Sutherland. Don was raised in Dorchester and Quincy, spending most of his early years in Dorchester. He was a graduate of Dorchester High School, where he also played football.
Following high school, Donald proudly enlisted in the United States Army and was stationed in Germany. It was there that he met Gabriele, who was working for the Army at the time. After his service, he returned to Quincy and went on to earn his Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Relations from Northeastern University.
Donald worked for the MBTA for over 25 years before retiring. He later enjoyed working part-time at Trull Brook, where he could stay active, socialize, and also play golf.
He was a world traveler, he loved cruising, and spending time experiencing the world with his wife. He also loved golfing at different courses all around the world, and once golfed at Saint Andrew's in Scotland, the birthplace of golf.
In his travels, his true passion for genealogy came out. He traveled extensively in search of family records, official documents, often succeeding in making connections with ancestors. He took pride in locating original, stamped documents from international agencies and loved collaborating with overseas relatives to uncover his family history.
Donald was also an avid gardener and a talented artist, especially fond of painting in his earlier years. In his free time he enjoyed watching sports—particularly football, baseball, and golf. A devoted fan, he had been a shareholder in the Patriots since their days as the Boston Patriots, buying stock at the age of 17.
Deeply devoted to family, He learned to speak German so he could stay close with his wife’s family. He cherished time spent with his children and grandchildren and enjoyed coaching youth baseball in Tewksbury. He was a proud member of the Tewksbury-Wilmington Elks and remained active in the community throughout his life.
In addition to his loving wife, Gabriele, Donald is survived by his two sons: Dean-Michael Sutherland and his wife Dr. Beverly Goldberg of Boxford, MA, and Lee Sutherland and his wife Cristin Sutherland of Brookline, NH. He was the proud grandfather of four grandchildren and also leaves behind his sister, Diane M. Bryant, Sisters in law Helga Hoetzel and Renate Ernert of Germany as well as several nieces, nephews, and countless friends—especially his beloved golfing buddies.
Celebration of life is planned. Details to follow.