Stan L. Sutliff

October 10, 2020
Stan L. Sutliff

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Stan L. Sutliff, aka Stan the Man, of Williamsburg, VA, passed away suddenly on October 10, 2020, at Sentara Heart Hospital in Norfolk, VA. He was a scientist turned business executive and spent his life seeking knowledge and learning new things. Born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana, he joined the U.S. Air Force and served in the Vietnam War, Korea, and Alaska. He graduated from Indiana University with a degree in Chemistry and began working as a research chemist. He next earned an MBA from Michigan State University and began a distinguished 43-year career on the business side of the chemical and material science industry that took him and his family from Indianapolis to Chicago, Michigan, Baltimore, St. Louis, and, ultimately, Williamsburg, where he finished his career as vice president of business development for a local ethanol process technology and construction firm.

Retirement didn’t slow Stan down, allowing him more time to pursue his many interests, including volunteering at the Hospice House of Williamsburg as a patient volunteer and with William and Mary’s Mason School of Business as an Executive Partner. An avid fisherman and lover of the outdoors, he was active in 14 different fishing clubs in the Tidewater region, with greatest participation in the Virginia Beach Anglers Club. He was also a Clean Water Captain for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. He could often be found biking, walking, and was always talking!  An avid storyteller, he was also a self-professed unpublished author.

Stan was preceded in death by his brother, John Daniel “Butch” Vandivier, and his father, Wendall D. Vandivier. He is survived by his mother, Juanita Vandivier, his saintly wife of 44 years, Gail Sutliff, his brother, Stuart Sutliff (Candy) and sister, Nancy DeCamp (Mike) and his four loving daughters, Heather Sutliff, Amy Lenz (Brent), Megan Marvil (Patrick), and Lauren Sleesman (Matt). He will be greatly missed by his grandchildren Parker, Carter, Claire, Drew, Josie, Nora, Nell and Max, who will miss his energy, jokes, laughter, and dynamic yo-yo abilities.

The family will celebrate the life of this exemplary husband, father, and grandfather at a private gathering this weekend. Donations in his honor may be made to Hospice House of Williamsburg, 4445 Powhatan Pkwy, Williamsburg, VA 23188. Feel free to celebrate Stan’s life by raising your own glass this Sunday at 5pm, or whenever, because for Stan the Man, it was always 5 o’clock somewhere!


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  • October 16, 2020
    Dana R Hodson lit a candle:
    Lit since October 16, 2020 at 10:37:39 PM

  • October 17, 2020
    Kris and Doug MacKenzie says:
    Stan always had a great story to tell. I admired his loyalty and quick wit. I learned a great deal about business from him and his recipes and the food network helped me to be a better cook! Sometimes he’d share his food and made my day. Stan loved his family and talked non stop about his girls and his grandchildren. Stan lived his life his way and will always be remembered as an open book, passionate about all his hobbies and the dogs don’t get me started! I hope the family cherishes these memories and I’ll hold up my glass tomorrow because it is 5 o’clock somewhere!

  • October 17, 2020
    Peter Smith says:
    I write this to honor the memory of Stan Sutliff and to celebrate his life. His life touched many...in ways we may not fully realize...his kindness, compassion, service, wisdom, and his goodness- strong, steadfast and true. I first met Stan 30 years ago in St. Louis at a Saturday morning sports fellowship gathering at Bonhomme Presbyterian Church. My first impression of meeting Stan was a feeling of open, exuberant energy. We learned we had both grown up in Indiana and shared so many common experiences and interests, including a faith in God, the outdoors and discussing philosophical questions we never answered. Through the church and on his won he went on to join organizations caring for hurting people and mentoring students. Stan in his heart grabbed life, whether in the outdoors, serving others or philosophizing, and was always grounded in his love for and pride in his family. I remember visiting Stan’s St. Louis home one Saturday morning and seeing him like a happy whirlwind collecting and washing the family laundry. Over the years I learned from him in great detail about happy family sailing and rafting vacations and the proud accomplishments of his daughters. I enjoyed a true, deep friendship with Stan and that I can never lose. Even after years apart Stan and I picked up with each other right where we left off. Losing such a good friend who knew me and what I was over 30 years ago feels like I am burying part of my life, part of my history. A part of me has died and has gone with him but not the comfort and memories of having had such a friend. Stan, may you rest in peace.

  • October 18, 2020
    Sid Mundkur says:
    Interview and Bourbon

  • October 18, 2020
    Sid Mundkur says:
    First met Stan at Le Yaca the day before my job interview. Within 5 minutes we were talking about bourbon, with Stan taking notes. I asked him a few years later about it and he said that within the first 5 minutes I'd decided that you were to be hired/made an offer, and I wanted to get as much information from you about bourbon. Having moved back to Louisville, KY, Stan was the only one who regularly kept in touch from my contacts in Williamsburg - used to get cutting from magazines and newspapers regarding bourbon/whiskey/rum followed by a call to discuss article a couple of weeks later. Received one as recent as early Oct. Still remember his words of wisdom when I was leaving the company "never burn a bridge, never reveal a source". Will open that Puerto Rican rum, which I'd promised to sip with him on Louisville stop over, while driving to Greenwood, IN.