Harley Sutt sold garbage route to the city in 1970.
Original Photo
The original photo used as reference for the mural was printed in a Skagit Valley Herald newspaper article, titled, "City Garbage Collection Contract Goes to Harley Sutt" on February 2, 1959.
Harley Clark Sutt was born January 26, 1905 in Redlands, California. He was the son of Olive May and Clark Hill Sutt.
Harley owned and operated the Rocket Sanitation Company and in 1963 was contracted to handle the collecting of garbage for the city until 1971.
He was a past president of the Eagles Lodge, No. 13 and Anacortes Lodge, No. 249 and received his 50-year pin from the Eagles. Harley was also a lifetime member of the Elks Club, Golden Eagles, and the Order of the Moose.
He was married twice and had four children. His first wife was Edith Gilmore, and his second wife was Violet Broome. His sons were Glenn Sutt and Robert Broome, and his daughters were Thelma Proix and Lois Zandell.
Harley passed away on January 12, 1989 in Monroe, Washington and is interred at Evergreen Funeral Home Chapel in Everett, Washington.
Harley Sutt was a mechanic and shop manager at Tweten Motors in the early 1940s.
He was also a race car driver, a member of the Northwest Washington Jalopy Racing Club. As a member in the 1940s, he competed in races and performed stunts at the track located at 12th Street east of Commercial Avenue, the current site of the Safeway store and parking lot. As a highlight of the Anacortes Marineers' Pageant event, Sutt would drive his car through a burning building erected at the track.
He brought "moxie" to community events and worthy causes. Harley owned and operated the Rocket Sanitation Company and in 1963 was contracted to handle the collecting of garbage for the city until 1971.
“...at the War Memorial Field Dedication, Harley Sutt perched himself on the roof of the grandstand to give a ‘“play by play” account of the game.”
“You remember the last celebration when Harley Sutt, drove his jalopy through a burning shack: It was burning great guns and it was no small fire either no doors no windows just solid walls. He drove right through it and that old rattle trap had no top on it. It was exciting. Well, Harley will have more of the same, only hotter.”
