About William D. Sugg

Dr. William Daniel Sugg M.D. 1897-1981

Dr. William Daniel Sugg was born in Beechville, Tennessee in 1897. He trained as a naval aviator during World War I, then got his B.A. at Vanderbilt University in 1919 and his M.D. degree in 1923. He did his internship and residency in Nashville. He rode the hills of Kentucky on horseback to practice his craft under primitive conditions. In 1929 he came to Bradenton with his father. He began by sharing office space with Dr. Hollingsworth and lived with Dr. and Mrs. Leffingwell on Point Pleasant. He was extremely shy. He spent a week each year at the Mayo Clinic keeping up the new ideas and practices in medicine. He specialized in geriatric surgery. For a number of years he was the only surgeon south of Tampa on Florida's West Coast. He owned most of what became Holmes Beach on Anna Maria Island and he and Dr. Blake together owned Shaw's Point. Dr. Sugg's greatest contribution to the community was the South Florida Museum and Bishop Planetarium, which he helped establish in 1946 at the Bradenton Municipal Pier. He was a founding member of the Hernando DeSoto Historical Society, a 1949 founder of the Florida West Coast Symphony; a founder of the Manatee Players theater group and a founder of Manatee Memorial Hospital.

Dr. W.D. Sugg was a prominent physician in Manatee County who gave countless hours of his time and inspiration to benefit his community. He left a legacy of many institutions and organizations that have continued his work to make Manatee County one of the finest places to live in Florida. Dr. Sugg was also a generous man who donated land to the United States government for what is now the DeSoto National Memorial. We are honored in having our school named after a gentleman who did so much for Manatee County and its wonderful people. Dr. Sugg was a perfect model for the emphasis on high standards and the pursuit of excellence that has been a trademark of Sugg Middle School many years.

W.D. Sugg Middle School first opened its doors for the 1974-1975 school year and has provided the children of our community with the educational tools needed to be successful in an ever changing world.