William Howard “Buddy” Sutton was born on March 13, 1931, in Hope, Hempstead County, Arkansas.
Sutton graduated from Hope High School in 1949 . He received a B.S.B.A. from the University of Arkansas, where he distinguished himself as a Razorback football player. Sutton served in the United St ates Air Force for two years , then returned to the University of Arkans as Law S chool .
Upon graduating with a Juris Doctor in 1959 , Sutton began practicing law with Mehaffy, Smith & Williams law firm, now known as Friday, Eldredge & Clark , where he served as managing partner from 1994 until his retir ement in 2005. The Arkansas Bar Association named Sutton Outstanding Lawyer of the Year in 1990 . He served as p resident of the Pulaski Bar As sociation in 1992-1993 .
Sutton served on the University of Arkansas Board of Advisors, the Ouachita Baptist University's Board of Trustees , and numerous other boards. The William H. Sutton School of Social Sciences at Ouachita Baptist University is named for him . In 2001, Sutton was inducted into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame , which presents the William H. "Buddy" Sutton Meritorious Service Award in his honor each year. He was named the 2004 Easter Seals Arkansa n of the Year.
Sutton passed away on July 2, 2015.
#1: Composite image of early photo of Buddy Sutton and still frame from Pryor Center viedo interview
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#2: Buddy Sutton's grandparents, Jim and Julia Sutton, with his uncle, Phil Sutton, ca. 1890
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#3: Buddy Sutton's father, Claud Sutton, 1920
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#4: Buddy Sutton (seated) on his first birthday with his sister, Sue Sutton; cousin, Mary Jim Sutton; cousin, Geraldine Phillips; cousin, Jeanette Sutton; sister, Roxie Sutton; Hope, Arkansas, 1932
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#5: Buddy Sutton with his father, Claud Sutton, on Experiment Station Road; Hope, Arkansas, 1937
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#6: Left to rigth: Buddy Sutton, Homer Martinez, Tommy Britt, C. C. Booth, S. A. Westbrook, and Richard Bruner; Hope, Arkansas, 1943
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#7: Left to right: Buddy Sutton, C. C. Booth, Tommy Britt, Homer Martinez, S. A. Westbrook, and Richard Bruner; Hope, Arkansas, 1943
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#8: Buddy Sutton (right) with S. A. Westbrook; Hope, Arkansas, 1948
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#9: Buddy Sutton (center right) in class photo of seniors on the Hope High School Bobcats football team, 1948
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#10: Buddy Sutton's father, Sheriff Claud Sutton (left), with an unknown man; the prosecuting attorney, James Pilkington; and Herald "Pod" Porterfield; Hope, Arkansas, ca. 1950
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#11: Buddy Sutton's father, Sheriff Claud Sutton (right), with State Trooper Guy Downing, after a raid on a still; Hope, Arkansas, 1950
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#12: Buddy Sutton (3rd from bottom) judging a beauty contest for the yearbook, 1952
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#13: Buddy Sutton holding petition for construction of a new animal science building at the University of Arkansas, 1952
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#14: Buddy Sutton (2nd from right) with Coach Otis Douglas (3rd from right); University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas; November 17, 1952
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#15: Buddy Sutton (2nd from right) with other members of the University of Arkansas Razorback football team
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#16: Buddy Sutton (right); September 29, 1952
© Copyright Aubert Martin, 1952
#17: Buddy Sutton's maternal grandmother, Carrie Lee Hamilton, 1954
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#18: Buddy Sutton's wife, Peggy Sutton; Ouachita County Hospital, Camden, Arkansas; January 18, 1954
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#19: Buddy Sutton's daughter, Rebecca, and her maternal grandparents, Leola and Joseph Newton Pentecost; March 5, 1954
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#20: Buddy Sutton's mother, Tena Sutton, sister, Claud Ann, and daughter, Rebecca Sutton; March, 1954
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#21: Buddy Sutton's parents, Tena and Claud Sutton, 1955
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#22: Buddy Sutton's daughter, Becky Sutton, and son, Richard, at age 2 weeks; February, 1956
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#23: Buddy Sutton's son, Wes Sutton; December 20, 1969
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#24: Buddy Sutton, 1972
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#25: Buddy and Peggy Sutton at a crusade; Brazil, 1987
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#26: Buddy Sutton (right) and his wife, Peggy, with Tom Landry, 1989
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#27: Buddy Sutton (back row, 2nd from left) with his family: (front row, kneeling); Katie Kirkpatrick; Sarah Freeman; Michael Kirkpatrick; (middle row, seated) daughter, Becky Kirkpatrick; Rebecca Kirkpatrick; Mary Kirkpatrick; Dan Kirkpatrick; mother, Tena Sutton; sister, Ann Freeman; Bill Freeman; (back row) son, Wes Sutton; Buddy Sutton; Peggy Sutton; Billy Graham; son, Richard Sutton; Richard's wife, Mary Sutton; Buddy's sister, Roxie Sutton Lawrence; Ray Lawrence; Jenny Freeman Sexton; Robby Parker; unknown; War Memorial Stadium, Little Rock, Arkansas, 1989
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#28: Buddy Sutton's family: (left to right) grandson, Michael Kirkpatrick; son-in-law, Dan Kirkpatrick; Rebecca Kirkpatrick; Mary Kirkpatrick; daughter, Becky Sutton Kirkpatrick; Katie Kirkpatrick; (seated) mother, Tena Sutton; 1996
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#29: Buddy Sutton (right) on Florida Gators football field; University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#30: Buddy Sutton (seated, far right) with his family: (standing, left to right) Michael Kirkpatrick, Dan Kirkpatrick, Mary Sutton, Richard Sutton, Mary Kirkpatrick Doddridge, Katie Kirkpatrick, Rebecca Kirkpatrick, Wes Sutton, (seated, left to right) Becky Kirkpatrick, Peggy Sutton, Buddy Sutton; 2000
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#31: Buddy Sutton with his great grandson, William Harrison "Buddy" Doddridge
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#32: Susan and Buddy Sutton on their wedding day; Emmanuel Baptist Church, Little Rock, Arkansas, 2010
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#33: Buddy Sutton and his wife, Susan Sutton, Little Rock, Arkansas; Easter, 2011
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#34: Buddy Sutton's dog, Brooks; Little Rock, Arkansas, 2011
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#35: Behind-the-scenes photo from Pryor Center interview with Buddy Sutton; Little Rock, Arkansas, 2011
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#36: Behind-the-scenes photo from Pryor Center interview with Buddy Sutton; Little Rock, Arkansas, 2011
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#37: Behind-the-scenes photo from Pryor Center interview with Buddy Sutton; Little Rock, Arkansas, 2011
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#38: Behind-the-scenes photo from Pryor Center interview with Buddy Sutton; Little Rock, Arkansas, 2011
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#39: Still frame from Pryor Center video interview with Buddy Sutton; Little Rock, Arkansas, 2011
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#40: Still frame from Pryor Center video interview with Buddy Sutton; Little Rock, Arkansas, 2011
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
