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 States Air Force for two years, then returned to the University of Arkansas Law School.
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 retirement in 2005. The Arkansas Bar Association named Sutton Outstanding Lawyer of the Year in 1990. He served as president of the Pulaski Bar Association 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 Arkansan 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
