A Mass of Christian Burial was held on Jan. 15 at Our Lady Of The Lake Church in Sparta, N.J., for Elizabeth “Betsy” A. Sutherland, founder of Birth Haven in Newton, N.J., who died on Jan. 11. She was 95.
Many parishes, religious organizations, and individual Catholics in the Paterson Diocese in New Jersey have supported Birth Haven, an independent, nonsectarian, nonprofit organization that provides shelter, support, and education for homeless pregnant women and girls. It was founded in 1985.
Born on March 4, 1930, in Newark, N.J., Sutherland moved with her family to South Orange, N.J., graduating from Our Lady of the Valley High School in Orange, N.J. In 1952, she earned an accounting degree from the College of St. Elizabeth, now St. Elizabeth College, in the Convent Station neighborhood of Morris Township, N.J., and started working at Picatinny Arsenal in Rockaway Township, N.J., that same year. Later, she earned a bachelor’s degree from the former Upsala College in East Orange, N.J., in her 50’s.
In 1952, Sutherland married Gene Sutherland. They settled in Lake Mohawk, a neighborhood between Byram and Sparta townships in New Jersey, where they had met as teens on the boardwalk. They founded Sutherland Poly Box (now Sutherland Packaging) in 1964.
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Sutherland was chairwoman of the Sussex County Chapter of the Fresh Air Fund from the late 1960s into the 1970s while hosting many children; became the first woman member of the Sparta Planning and Zoning Board in 1975; and was the leading force in the founding of Birth Haven in 1985. For decades, she served as chair of Birth Haven, which celebrated its 40th anniversary last year.
Also, Sutherland was an extraordinary minister of the Eucharist at Our Lady of the Lake Parish in Sparta, N.J., and at Andover Nursing Home. She was involved with the Parents’ Association of Rev. Brown Memorial School in Sparta, the Booster Club for Pope John XXIII Regional High School in Sparta, the Sparta Ecumenical Council on Senior Citizen Housing as a founding member, and the Sussex County Arts Council. Sutherland was a trained artist and worked in many mediums, including oil, acrylics, pastels, and charcoal.
Sutherland’s honors include Grand Marshal of the 2018 Sussex County St. Patrick’s Day Parade, Patriots’ Council Tribute to Women Award and Lifetime Achievement Award, Birth Haven Lifetime Achievement Award, Soroptimist International Community Service Award, Pope John XXIII Endowment Humanitarian Award and the Sussex County Chamber of Commerce David Herzenburg Memorial Award on behalf of Birth Haven.
Sutherland was predeceased by her parents, Walter and Katherine Reilly; her husband, Eugene; her son, Peter; and her siblings, Frances Corbin, Peggy McGovern, and Daniel Reilly.
Survivors include her children, Eileen Brupbacher (Josh), Mike (Joanna), Tom (Irene), Dan (Therese), Margaret Keller (Mike), Joe (Anna) and Patrick (Sonali); her grandchildren, Jason Brupbacher, Dan Brupbacher, Jake Sutherland, Natalie Sutherland, Ian Sutherland, Kristin Whitehouse, Brian Sutherland, Brielle Medina, Alex McCaffrey, Michael McCaffrey, Andrew McCaffrey, Kiera Keller, Ella Sutherland, Rish Sutherland, and Lokesh Sutherland; and her great grandchildren, Tory Brupbacher, Will Brupbacher, Jack Brupbacher, Reilly Brupbacher, Quinn Brupbacher, Reid Brupbacher, Amara Edemobi, Rowan Sutherland, Sophia Sudziarski, Mila Whitehouse, Ella Whitehouse, Fern Sutherland, Olive Sutherland, Madie Sutherland, Roy Sutherland, and James McCaffrey.
Please make donations in Elizabeth Sutherland’s honor to Birth Haven, Our Lady of the Lake, or the Peter J. Sutherland Memorial Scholarship Fund.
