David was born the son of Kermit Burkhart and Kathy Sutton in southeast Missouri, and while still in grade school moved to Hollister, Missouri, where Kathy met and married her husband of forty years, Bill Sutton.  David attended Hollister School until seventh grade, then moved to Branson where he stayed until graduation.  The family built a business known as the Ole’ Wood Cutter that was the last shop visitors to Silver Dollar City would pass on their way out of the Hospitality House.  David often worked after school and weekends at the Ole’ Wood Cutter, and full-time in the summer.  His dedication to his family and the business carried over to both academics and sports, in which he excelled.  As a freshman he played tailback for the Branson Pirates freshman football team, a forward on the freshman team and a third baseman on the junior varsity baseball team.  Baseball was his favorite sport and as a senior he was a big part of the Branson’s conference title and was on the all-conference team.

After graduation from Branson in 1983, David attended Southwest Missouri State University (now Missouri State) and was an active member of the Kappa Alpha Fraternity.  After college, David was a driving force in the expansion of the family business, which over the years expanded to Knotsberry Farm in California, Busch Gardens in Florida, and Six Flags in Texas.  David moved to Orange County to manage and operate the shop while in his 20s, and eventually moved to Texas to manage the business there.  While in Texas, David was a shortstop for a traveling professional softball team, which consisted of several former major league ballplayers.  It was in Texas that David became a lifelong Dallas Cowboy fan.

David returned to Branson, Missouri in his early forties, where he remained close to Bill who passed in 2023 and Kathleen in 2022. David’s smile and infectious personality will be missed by his lifelong friends.

In lieu of flowers memorials can be made to Shepherd of The Hills Humane Society.

Private burial was held Friday, February 2, 2024 at Ozarks Memorial Park Cemetery in Branson under the direction of Greenlawn Funeral Home in Branson.