Memorable Manitobans: Richard William Martin “Dick” Sutton (1920-1995)

Curator, naturalist.

Born at Winnipeg on 16 February 1920, son of Albert Arthur Sutton (1878-1968) and Eva Sutton (c1886-1978), his interest in natural history began in childhood. An apprenticeship at the Manitoba Museum involved seasonal employment as an interpreter at Riding Mountain National Park. During the Second World War, he served with the Royal Canadian Signal Corps in Canada, United Kingdom, and northwest Europe. He rejoined the Manitoba Museum in 1947, first as Curator-in-Charge and later as Director, playing a key role in development of the Museum of Man and Nature as a provincial centennial project. He was a founding board member of the Manitoba Centennial Corporation. In 1970, he received the Manitoba Centennial Medal from the Manitoba Historical Society in recognition of his “contributions in the museum field as previous Director of the Manitoba Museum, as administrator, curator, and teacher in the field.” In 1973, he became Chief of Interpretation for the Prairie Region of the National Parks and Historic Sites based in Winnipeg, and supervising work in Saskatchewan, northern Alberta, the North West Territories, and Yukon. He retired in 1984. He died at the Grace Hospital on 17 May 1995.

Sources:

“These Manitobans will help plan centennial,” Winnipeg Free Press, 13 September 1963, page 9.

Obituary [Albert Arthur Sutton], Winnipeg Free Press, 24 January 1968, page 37.

Obituary [Eva Sutton], Winnipeg Free Press, 23 May 1978, page 54.

Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 20 May 1995, page 33.

Obituary [Eva Miriam Curtis], Winnipeg Free Press, 20 August 2009, page 28.

We thank Wendy Sutton for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 21 January 2018

Memorable Manitobans

Memorable Manitobans

This is a collection of noteworthy Manitobans from the past, compiled by the Manitoba Historical Society. We acknowledge that the collection contains both reputable and disreputable people. All are worth remembering as a lesson to future generations.

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