In Memory of Donald J. Suntrup

Donald J. Suntrup, one of two brothers who started separate car businesses more than 40 years ago and whose family members now operate businesses here, died Sunday, February 15, 2009, at St. John's Mercy Medical Center.

The cause was congestive heart and kidney failure, his family said. He was 80 and lived in Sunset Hills.

Mr. Suntrup was a star on the Christian Brothers College high school football team in the mid-1940s and was an accomplished drop-kicker, often accounting for both touchdowns and extra points. He was known as "golden toe" and later was inducted into the school's Hall of Fame.

After attending St. Louis University, where he also played football, Mr. Suntrup was a sergeant in the Army, serving in occupied Japan after World War II.

He became a banker and vice president at Southwest Bank and Concord Bank. But most of his friends were in the automotive business, as was a bother, Bill Suntrup.

At age 40, with a wife and four children, Mr. Suntrup changed careers. He started as an auto salesman and worked he way up, even eventually buying an interest in Volkswagen and Datsun (later Nissan) dealerships.

In 1985, he and other family members put the two dealerships together into a single store on South Lindbergh Boulevard in south St. Louis County. Bill Suntrup, meanwhile, was developing his own group of dealerships.

In 1997, Donald Suntrup's sons, Craig and Butch Suntrup, bought out their father and an in-law and took over their business. Mr. Suntrup continued as CEO until last year.

Today, nearly 50 Suntrups work in the dozen businesses started by Mr. Suntrup, Bill Suntrup, and their children. The children start at about age 12, washing cars, painting and cleaning, said Butch Suntrup. To this day, he added, he can't bring himself to pick up a paint brush.

The dealerships operate independently and cooperate on marketing, advertising and charitable works.

Mr. Suntrup was active in Covenant House Missouri and president of its board. He donated a car each year to the faculty at the University of Missouri-Columbia. Family members say they just now are discovering come of the charitable contributions he had made anonymously.

Butch Suntrup recalled what his father had taught him and his siblings about integrity: "He said, 'Do the job right and do the things that people won't even see, because it's the right thing to do.'"

In addition to his sons and brother, all of Town and Country, among the survivors are his wife, Angela Suntrup of Sunset Hills; two daughters, Debbie Capps of Huntleigh and Susie Lafond of Ballwin; 16 grandchildren; and one great-grandson.

Memorial contributions may be sent to Covenant House Missouri, 2727 North Kingshighway, St. Louis, MO 63113 or CBC High School, 1850 De La Salle Drive, St. Louis, MO 63141.

Article was printed in the St. Louis Post Dispatch on February 18, 2009.