Laurel Sutherland

Laurel Ashley Sutherland, age 41 years and her sister, Bree Anne Sutherland, age 37 years, both formerly of Niles, Michigan died together of injuries from a motor vehicle accident at 4:10 p.m. on Monday, December 26, 2016 at the intersection of Warren Woods Road and Cleveland Avenue in Weesaw Township, Michigan.

They were born to Michael G. and Deborah A. (Torrance) Sutherland, Laurel on June 22, 1975 in Monroe, Michigan and Bree on September 17, 1979 in Charlevoix, Michigan. They were each graduated from Brandywine High School in Niles. Laurel earned a double Bachelor’s Degree - Geography and Russian - from Syracuse (New York) University, and Bree earned a Bachelor’s Degree from Western Michigan University (Kalamazoo), and a Master’s Degree in Education from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. They both moved from college to Chicago, Illinois where Laurel was currently employed as a Senior Account Executive for Avant Healthcare Professionals and Bree was employed as the Director of Learning for the Association Forum of Chicago.

Laurel enjoyed traveling throughout the United States and meeting people new to her. She also enjoyed reading books and watching movies, all of which helped her to be a great trivia competitor. She was intelligent, creative, artistic, and earlier had been a proficient seamstress. Her family remembers that she loved all living things: people, children, plants, and animals, and had a smart, witty sense of observational humor.

Bree enjoyed social and cultural events including attending Chicago Cubs baseball games, a variety of concert venues, and – especially – oyster bars. She had recently been taking pottery lessons, and is remembered as a “shining light” full of fun and laughter.

They are survived by their parents, Deb and Mike Sutherland of Niles; and aunts, uncles, and cousins including Susan (& Richard) Barnes of Paw Paw, Michigan and their son Skyler, Bill (& Dona) Torrance of Winnetka, California; and Beth (& Robert) McVeigh of Paw Paw, and their daughters, Erin (& Jeremy) Kreger and Kathryn Piecyk and grandchildren Sydney, Ronan, Sophia, and Brinley. Laurel was previously married to Alex Feigelson (who has remained a best friend), and Bree is survived by her long-time companion, Greg Duncan.

The funeral service for Laurel and Bree Sutherland will be at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 7, 2017 at Hope Community Church in Niles with the Rev. Michael Smith of Hope Church officiating assisted by the Rev. Ray Fulbright of Saint John’s United Church of Christ in Niles and the Rev. Fran Lane-Lawrence of the First Presbyterian Church in Niles. Committal will be private, at a later date, at the Silverbrook Cemetery in Niles.

The family will receive relatives and friends beginning at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday at the church. Contributions in memory of Laurel and Bree may be made to the Howard Branch of the Cass District Library, 2341 Yankee Street, Niles, Michigan 49120. Arrangements were made at the Halbritter-Wickens Funeral Service in Niles.