Joseph Swaim Sutter, 74, of Richmond, Virginia, passed away on February 21, 2025 in his home, cherished by his family until his last breath. He is survived by Jorene Campbell Sutter, his wife of 48 years; his children Sarah Caitlin Treharne (Andrew) and Eric Joseph Sutter; his brother John Sutter (Michelle), his sisters Julie Sutter Beals and Jan Sutter Campbell (David) and his mother Jean Swaim Sutter. Camille Beck Treharne, his favorite little pixie, and John Phillip Treharne, his number one dude, will carry the legacy of their Gramps in their hearts forever.
Born and raised in Marion, Indiana Joe lived the Hoosier dream of playing in the Indiana basketball state championship game at Hinkle Field House. He then went on to play basketball at Davidson College, leaving Indiana for the promise of warmer weather in North Carolina. As a Wildcat he forged lifelong friendships and got a taste for international culture while studying abroad in the Yucatan. His next stop brought Joe to Europe to play professional basketball in both Belgium and Switzerland. When he found himself in physical therapy to rehabilitate an injury, Joe got a glimmer of a profession that could keep him close to sports while challenging his active mind. Upon returning stateside he began the pursuit of his own 40-year career in sports medicine, which landed him in Richmond by way of Duke Physical Therapy School. Joe had a head for business and in short order moved from working as the sole physical therapist for Tuckahoe Orthopedics to founding his own practice, Tuckahoe Physical Therapy. Over the course of his career Joe expanded his business to include multiple clinics across the Richmond metro area, mentoring and partnering with younger therapists to further their careers along the way.
The story of Joe’s life is inextricably intertwined with Jorene, his best friend and love of his life. In college Joe was known for hopping in the car in the middle of the night, driving the nine hours from Davidson to Marion to squelch the madness of missing his love. When he was offered the opportunity to move to Europe he agreed, only upon the condition that Jorene could come with him. He often commented that while other couples preferred to double date on evenings out, he had no need for the company of anyone other than Jorene. His favorite pastime was going to jam band shows with her, where he was always up for a dance but rarely found himself moving in rhythm with the music. They cheered on the Hoosiers together, threw each other magnificent surprise birthday parties, enjoyed “killer purple” sunsets together and, above all, built a loving family together.
In his free time Joe always chose to be with family. He loved summer days in the pool together, playing awesome catches and water basketball. Each spring, he gathered the family to stand up and sing Back Home Again in Indiana at the beginning of the Indy 500. His grandkids always knew to call Gramps after a sporting event or a music recital to hear his encouraging feedback. When his children lived 2,000 miles away, Joe began a ritual of sending a monthly card accompanied by a gift card for groceries or gas. In those cards he included personalized newspaper clippings annotated by Dad jokes. Everyone knew his son-in-law was officially part of the family when he started receiving clippings of his own.
When he wasn’t with family, Joe was more than likely on the phone with a buddy. Friends from high school and adulthood alike enjoyed his embellished stories and gift for talking trash just to get a rise out of someone he loved. Even after his days of athletics were long over, Joe held on to his fierce competitive streak. He loved the thrill of beating a friend at pool and never backed down in a family game of Scattergories. Often teased by his family for “wheeling and dealing,” Joe jumped at the opportunity to negotiate, whether on a car lot or with a street vendor while traveling. When friends visited from out of town Joe relished playing tour guide, driving them from the West End to Carytown all the way to Church Hill, offering a history lesson of his adopted city along the way.
Joe believed that you should be grateful for what you have been given, work hard to make the most of those gifts and enjoy the life you live with the people you love. Over the course of his illness, he reiterated that he would leave this earth without regrets, knowing that every person he loved knew exactly how he felt about them. We are all so thankful for that and will keep dancing for you.
There will be a celebration of Joe’s life at the Maymont Nature Center on April 11 at 5:30 p.m. In lieu of gifts or flowers, the family asks that you speak with your doctor about genetic testing. For information about inherited cancers visit https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/genetics.