Wilda D. Sutherland, age 77, a resident of Pleasant Hill, IL died Tuesday, June 28, 2011 at her home. She was born November 8, 1933 near Elkins, West Virginia the eldest of the five children of William Harold and Minnie Sarah Collett O’Dell. She attended Marstiller School, a one room country school through grade five, then schools in Elkins, graduating from Elkins High School in 1952. In 1956 she earned a B.A. in Education from Berea College in Berea, Kentucky. She married Hugh F. Sutherland on December 23, 1955 in St. Stephens Episcopal Church in Nora, Va. Wilda first taught the last year of the eight grade country school at Sand Ridge, IL near Gorham. Next she taught at Allerton, IL and finally for thirty three years at Pleasant Hill, IL, retiring in 1993. She was an active associate member of the Pleasant Hill United Methodist Church where she taught Sunday School, sang in the choir and was secretary of the United Methodist Women. Wilda was a life member of the NEA, the IL Retired Teachers and the Pike-calhoun Retired Teachers Associations. She was a member of the National Wildlife Association and a charter member of the Friends of Harman House Museum in Pleasant Hill and had served as Museum Board secretary since 1996. She was an avid birder who wrote a weekly wildlife column for the local paper for many years. Survivors include her husband, Hugh Sutherland, of Pleasant Hill, a son, Hugh Sutherland, II of Quincy,IL, a daughter, Sheila (Rex) Doty of Charleston, IL three grandchildren, Michael and Matthew Doty of Charleston, Il and Christina Lynn Doty of California, two sisters, JoAnn Coffman and Laura Moats both of Elkins, WV, two brothers, Bill (Rose) O’Dell of Elkins, WV, and Jim (Lynda) O’Dell of Orlando, FL, numerous nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews, cousins and friends. Wilda was preceded in death by her parents.
