Melody "Dee" Sutherland, 64, of Farley, Missouri, died Tuesday, March 1, 2011, at home. Mass of Christian Burial will be at 1:00 p.m., Tuesday, March 8, 2011, at The Queen of The Holy Rosary Church, 71st & Metcalf, Overland Park, KS, preceded by visitation at 12:00 p.m. Interment will be at Forest Hill & Calvary Cemetery, Kansas City, Missouri. The family suggests contributions in lieu of flowers to Farmers' House, 1900 SW 63rd St., Shawnee Mission, KS 66208. Dee was born in Kansas City on February 28, 1947, to Robert Quentin Sutherland and Barbara Welch Sutherland. She grew up on her parents' R S Bar Ranch in Leawood, Kansas, where they raised longhorn cattle and champion quarter horses. Dee later graduated from The Barstow School and the University of Kansas, where she received a degree in physical therapy after taking courses at the KU Medical Center. After her marriage to William Diamond, she worked in physical therapy in Chicago, returning to this area to start her family. After that marriage ended in divorce, she married again to Benjamin Knight in 1987. Dee worked in owning and managing commercial real estate for over 20 years. She also found time to devote to charity and foundation work, including Children's Theatre and The Junior League, while raising six children. Dee was instrumental in successfully lobbying Congress to expand the scope of the charitable tax deduction. She also wrote children's books and poetry. Dee loved sports, swimming competitively for the American Athletic Union at the old Kansas City Athletic Club and taking part in track, field hockey, and basketball while at Barstow. In later years, she combined her love of athletics with her love of travel, scuba diving in the Caribbean and skiing in Colorado. Dee spent many happy hours gardening and landscaping at her home, Meriwether Lodge, which she and Ben designed and built at their property, Charbonneau Farms, high on a hill overlooking the Missouri River at the highest point in Platte County. Dee wanted most to be remembered as a wife, mother, grandmother, sister and friend. She embraced life and urged everyone to follow her Barstow class quote: "When you remember me, think of the hours filled with laughter!" Dee is survived by her husband of 24 years, Ben Knight; her sisters, Lynn (Jeff) Heitman and Pamela (John) Gyllenborg; brothers Dr. Bradford (Fleda) Sutherland and R. Kent Sutherland; children Heather Elizabeth Baker, William Quentin Sutherland, Jay (Sharon) Sutherland, Anastasia (Brian) Oldham, Benjamin (Angela) Knight, and Ashley (Aaron) Reed; and eight loving grandchildren. (Arrangements: Cremation Society of KS and MO, 5561 NW Barry Rd. Online condolences www.kccremation.com, 816-822-9888.)
Published in Kansas City Star on March 6, 2011