[ CHARLES SUTTON / 1927-2004 ]
Architect had a hand in
designing many Hawaii
landmarks
There aren't many places in the islands Ted Candia can go without being reminded of his longtime business partner.
Charles Sutton, with whom Candia shared an architectural firm for nearly four decades, had a portfolio that included major collaboration on the state Capitol and design of the East-West Center, two University of Hawaii buildings, the Wailea Golf Clubhouse, several schools on Oahu and the Big Island, two housing complexes and hundreds of private homes.
He helped in the revamping of Aloha Tower and Dole Cannery. And he was the state's chief design consultant on the Hawaii Convention Center.
"I can be driving along with my grandkids," Candia said, "(and be telling them), 'We did that project. We did that.'"
Sutton, who came to the islands in the 1950s and helped design dozens of landmark structures, died May 13 at his Kaneohe home after a long battle with Lou Gehrig's Disease. He was 76.
"I think anybody's who's good at what they do, truly loves it," said Sutton's son, Adam. "He loved cities and buildings and he just honestly loved structures and places."
In 1950, Sutton received his bachelor's degree from the Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College (now Oklahoma State University). He went on to obtain his master's degree in architecture from Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan.
Sutton was a member of New York City's prestigious I.M. Pei & Associates architectural firm before coming to the islands to work on the East-West Center at the University of Hawaii's Manoa campus.
Besides buildings, Sutton was an early consultant on the city's master design plan. He was also president of the American Institute of Architects' Hawaii chapter, and his firm received a number of design awards, including the Hawaii Gold Medal of Honor from the Architects' Institute.
"Our partnership lasted for more than 34 years. That's more than a lot of marriages," Candia said. "He was just easy to work with and he was just a nice person. I probably spent more time with him than a lot of my relatives."
Services for Sutton are scheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday at St. Andrews Cathedral. Sutton's ashes will be scattered at sea.
He is survived by wife Jean, sons John and Adam, brothers Jim and Ramon of Oklahoma City, and sister Joyce Veith of Vinita, Okla.