Roll Call Tribute

Thomas Lee "Tucker" Sutherland, Jr.
July 8, 1938 - January 9, 2023

Tucker Sutherland, 84, passed away January 9 in San Antonio, Texas surrounded by his family.

The family will host a celebration of life on Saturday, January 28, 2022, at 1 p.m. at UTSA Southwest School of Art, 300 Augusta St, San Antonio, TX 78205.

Born Thomas Lee Sutherland on July 8, 1938, the eldest son of the late Betty Collins Sutherland and Thomas Lee Sutherland, Sr. in Mathis, Texas. Tucker graduated from Mathis High School, where he was active in student organizations and athletics: He lettered on the Pirates basketball team as a senior; earned two letters in volleyball and two more letters in tennis.

Tucker went on to graduate from Texas A&M University in 1960. Tucker was a member of Squadron 17 in the A&M Corps of Cadets his freshman and sophomore years before moving to A Medical Company his junior year and Company H-2 his senior year. He applied his journalistic talents as a four-year member of the Commentator staff and as editor of the college’s popular magazine, the Texas A&M Review, his senior year.

Upon graduation, he launched his newspaper career in Robstown, Texas, before being named editor at his hometown Mathis News. Also in 1960, Tucker married the light of his life Carole Sparks Sutherland. The two were married at the St. Elizabeth Catholic Church in Alice, Texas, and celebrated 62 joyful years together.

In 1969 Tucker quickly began to climb the executive ladder at Harte-Hanks Communications Inc. with stops at newspapers across the country before settling in San Angelo, Texas, in 1974. He was named Executive Vice President and President of Newspaper Operations at Harte-Hanks and moved to the company’s headquarters in San Antonio in 1983. Also in the 1980s, Tucker was honored to serve as the President of the Texas Daily Newspaper Association. Tucker moved to San Antonio from San Angelo, Texas in 1983 to manage the national newspaper operations of Harte-Hanks Communications Inc.

An aspect of Tucker’s career that brought him the most joy was helping chronicle South Texas’s rich history as a prominent journalist and newspaper publisher throughout the second half of the twentieth century. Tucker’s wit and kindness was ever present in his work.

Later in the 1980s he launched a multimedia company of his own, Sutherland Media Inc., which owned and operated publications across the country. After his media career, he also advised political leaders in Austin, Texas and Washington, DC, before retiring in the early 2000s. Ever the champion of the disadvantaged, Tucker brought a voice to the voiceless over his decades in print media and political engagements.

Tucker was a nature enthusiast and nationally recognized tennis player. As a senior, he claimed the top spot nationally competing in men’s doubles. Tucker would never pass up an opportunity to go fishing or enjoy a nature walk.

But the thing for Tucker that took precedence over everything was Texas A&M and its sports teams. Though on-field success often eluded the Aggies’ football team, no one maintained more support and devotion to the team than Tucker.

Tucker is survived by his beloved wife, Carole Sparks Sutherland, of Alice, Texas. They have four children — Thomas Lee “Tom” Sutherland, III of Dallas, Texas; Scott Sutherland, who is married to Lesley Gold and resides Burlingame, California; Craig Sutherland of Tampa, Florida; and Elizabeth Sutherland Janicek of San Antonio, Texas, all of whom graduated from Texas A&M University, much to Tucker’s pleasure. Tucker was predeceased by daughter-in-law Laura Murillo Sutherland.

He is also survived by his younger brother John Collins Sutherland, a resident of Gainesville, Florida, who also graduated from Texas A&M.

Tucker was blessed with more than a dozen grandchildren and great grandchildren who provided him unending joy and love. In the later part of his life, one would often find Tucker, or “Pop” as he was known to his grandchildren, planning an adventure with or attending the sporting event of one of his grandchildren. He was a gigantic figure in the lives of his family and he will be dearly missed by everyone who was lucky enough to know him. As he would often say about his beloved Texas Aggies, Tucker did not lose his battle with cancer, he only ran out of time.

The family wishes to send truly heartfelt thanks to the staff at Franklin Park Alamo Heights who all treated Tucker with love and care in his final months. If desired, in lieu of flowers, the Sutherland family requests that friends provide a donation to the Alzheimer’s Association of San Antonio/South Texas in the name of Betty Collins Sutherland.