On Sunday, January 9, 2022, Mary Anise Sutton, 66, of Port Huron took her last breath at Port Huron McLaren Hospital after a short battle with pancreatic cancer.
The sun rose and the world welcomed Mary aka “Sissy” on November 25, 1955 to the late Delbert and Priscilla Bates.
Sadly at a young age Mary and her six brothers lost their mom, so she had to be the lady of the house. While their dad worked, Mary learned how to cook and clean, helping to raise her brothers who always gave her a hard time. Being the fighter that she was, Mary learned how to ignore her brothers and ended up being a great cook and an even better sister.
At a very early age Mary and her brothers attended Zion Tabernacle Church where their grandparents, Charles and Henrietta Brown also attended. Charles was the Pastor and Henrietta was the First Lady.
Mary was dedicated to the church life and was baptized in Jesus’ name and filled with the Holy Ghost. No matter what Mary did in life, she always found her way back to the house of the Lord, where she was always ready and willing to do whatever her hands could find to do.
Mary loved to laugh, she loved to dance and her greatest love was for her family and friends. When the family got together, Mary was always the life of the party. She was known and loved by many and to know her was to love her.
On August 30, 1991 Mary married the late Jackson Sutton Sr., and from that union, they were blessed with two wonderful children.
Her life will forever be cherished in the lives of her children: Tevin and Carisma Sutton, both of Port Huron; three brothers, Delbert (Alfreda) Bates and Lawrence (Denise) Bates, both of Port Huron and Eli (Bree) Bates of Oahu, Hawaii; sister-in-law, Julie Griffith; 3 granddaughters, Nazaria and Nacaria Riley of Lansing and her sidekick, Niam Sutton of Port Huron who when you saw Mary, you saw Niam; and several nieces, nephews, cousins and very close friends, including Auntie Momma Mary Dikins and two very special cousins, Carol Buford and Ronda Noble.
She also had a special love for her Pastor Suffocate, Bishop Kimberly Brown and Audrey Morris and the whole Zion Tabernacle Church family.
She was preceded in death by two brothers, William “Terry” Griffith, Ernest “Buddy” Bates, both of Port Huron; and a nephew, Larry Haskins.
A memorial service will be held at noon on Friday, January 21, 2022 in Zion Cathedral of Praise with visitation beginning at 11:00 a.m. Suffocate Bishop Kimberly Brown will officiate.
A love letter to my Granny- by Niam Sutton
Dear Granny,
I know that you are gone but me and Mom need some prayer now because we are going to need it. I love you so, so much. I wish you didn’t have to go but you did. I will see you up there when it’s my time. Keep me strong, talk to me from time to time and tell me it’s going to be alright. I’m going to miss you and I love you.
Love,
Niam
