Edward J. Frost Sutherland

Edward J. Frost Sutherland, longtime resident of Wolfeboro and Melvin Village, NH died on March 28, 2016 surrounded by family. He is survived by his beloved wife Barbara (Thomson) of Melvin Village, daughters Jane Ayers (Steel Stillman) of New York City and Margaret Sutherland of Exeter, NH, grandchildren Owen and Abigail Wagner of Exeter, NH and sisters Ellen Sidor of Durham, NH, and Beth King of Stockton, NJ. He was born in Houston, Texas on December 13, 1931 and lived in many places throughout the Unites States before fulfilling his dream to live in NH. After graduating from Phillips Exeter Academy, he earned Bachelors and Master Degrees in Electrical Engineering at Cornell University. He served with the U.S. Army Signal Corps in Germany and then joined General Radio Company (GenRad) where he was employed in sales and sales management positions for twelve years. He then joined Teradyne, Inc. as a Regional Sales Manager, later Manager of Advertising and Publicity and Product Manager for relay and telephone test systems. He left Teradyne after seven years to found Relay Testing Services, Inc., of Wolfeboro, NH, an independent testing laboratory which used computer-controlled tests for predicting early failure of electromechanical relays, a company he ran for 23 years. He also founded Relay Testing Systems Corporation of Ballston Spa, NY, which developed and manufactured a computer-controlled system for testing relays. He published a number of technical papers on the subject of relay testing, some of which were presented in the US as well as Japan and China. He enjoyed a variety of activities, including sailing, flying, skiing and music. An avid pilot, he earned instrument, commercial, multi-engine and seaplane ratings and flew small aircraft for business and pleasure. Cars were an early and continuing passion which eventually focused on vintage sports cars. As a Director of the Vintage Sports Car Club of America, he raced a Jaguar and Lotus in club events for ten years. As Secretary of the New England Region of the Bentley Drivers Club, he enjoyed car tours in a pre-1930 Bentley. For these two clubs, he developed and maintained computerized membership lists and published an annual roster for more than ten years. His musical interests included playing the banjo with the Mink Brook Marching Society, a Dixieland band based in Wolfeboro, NH. A strong influence in his life was the discovery from his Exeter Academy experience that theirs was an environment that routinely took excellence for granted. Inspired by this, he strived for excellence in himself and appreciated it in others. His sense of humor and positive outlook were with him always. He had a full life and thoroughly enjoyed his work, his play, his friends and especially his family. A celebration of his life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the charity of your choice.