Bertie "Louese" (Phillips) Sutton, the third of five children born to Mary Mahala (McKamey) and William Bonnie Phillips on the 30th day of September, 1921, died November 20th, 2016, in Hugoton, KS, at the age of 95 years, 1 month and 21 days.

Louese attended & graduated Tribbey High School in Tribbey, OK. She was a competitive basketball player in high school and was offered a contract to travel and play on the ALL AMERICAN REDHEADS BASKETBALL TEAM, although she was a brunette. The Redheads was the woman's version of the HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS. Her father determined that her young age of 16 was "too young" and the contract was quickly denied.

As was the custom of the time, Otho Sutton approached Mr. Phillips to request Louese's hand in marriage. Otho had been hired for a job at Lusk, Wyoming, and was enroute. Otho told Mr. Phillips, "he was going to need to take Louese along to bake biscuits for him!" Bonnie and Mary accompanied Otho & Louese as far as Wellington, KS, where the couple were married on August 22, 1939. The Phillips returned home via train as the newlyweds began their life together. Louese continued to "bake biscuits" for Otho for 56 years until Otho died on December 2nd, 1995.

A son, Ronald Otho, was born on July 18th, 1942, in Lindsborg, KS. A second son, Arthur Wayne, arrived on November 21st, 1945, in McPherson, KS. (Ron passed away on Jan. 19th, 2012, and fifteen months later Wayne passed away on April 4th, 2013.) A daughter, Betty Louese, completed this family unit on January 4, 1951, in McPherson, KS.

The Sutton family followed the oil fields across Wyoming, Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska & Oklahoma before returning to the Tribbey area in 1970 where Otho dedicated the rest of his life to his lifelong love of raising cattle on the original familyowned land. Otho provided well for Louese and it was never necessary for her to work outside the home. She cared for her family full time and involved herself in Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts, Bible School and Sunday School where ever the family resided. Louese was saved and baptized while living in Ellinwood, KS. She joined the membership of Tribbey Baptist Church in 1970.

Louese moved into the Shawnee OK Housing Apartments on E. Independence in 1997 and resided there until May of 2013, when she moved to Pioneer Manor in Hugoton, KS, to be near her daughter & family. The staff at Pioneer Manor embraced Louese with love & compassion where they cared for her as if she was one of their own family members. "The family of Louese will always hold each member of Pioneer Manor staff in high regard and they will be held in a special place in our hearts."

Immediate family members surviving are as follows: Daughter, Betty & husband, Kevin White, (Louese's beloved son-in-law); Grandson, Michael Bellomy & wife, Katrina, Great-granddaughter, Devry & Great-grandson, Dalen, all of rural Elkhart, KS; A loving daughter-in-law, Jennifer Lemmon-Sutton of Tennessee; a Grandson, Steven Sutton & wife, Robyn, Great-grandson, Darren, three Great-granddaughters, Meghan, Lauren & Kaitlin, all of Boston; a Granddaughter, Julie Salek & husband, Bryan, Great-granddaughter, Cassidy Brown, Great-grandson, Colton Salek, all of Florida; Grandson, Terry Russell & wife, Rhetta, Great-granddaughter, MyKenzee, all of Oklahoma. She is further survived by a "blessed-by-lovedaughter", Jacque Higgins & husband, David & family of rural Elkhart.

A family inurnment service will be at the Tribbey Cemetery at a later date. Services are under the care of the Bunch - Roberts Funeral Home of Guymon.

The family suggests that memorials be made to the Tribbey, OK Cemetery. Memorials will be accepted at the Bunch - Roberts Funeral Home, PO Box 1112, Guymon, OK 73942. Friends can sign the online guestbook and leave condolences at www.bunchroberts.com.