Joseph Frederick Sutter was born on March 21, 1921, in Seattle, Washington, to Slovenian immigrant parents, with his father, Franc Suhadolc, working as a meat cutter after initially prospecting for gold.

Growing up near Boeing's Seattle plant, he developed a passion for aviation early on, excelling in math and physics, and took a summer job at Boeing in 1940 while pursuing aeronautical engineering at the University of Washington, from which he graduated with a bachelor's degree in 1943.

During World War II, he served as a junior officer on the U.S. Navy destroyer escort USS Edward H. Allen in the South Pacific, returning afterward to join Boeing full-time as an aerodynamicist following job offers from both Boeing and Douglas.​ 

At Boeing, Joe Sutter contributed to key projects including the Boeing 377 Stratocruiser, the prototype 367-80 "Dash 80," and the 707, 727, and 737 jetliners, earning his first patent for an innovative engine placement under the wings of the 737 that allowed a wider fuselage.

In 1965, he was appointed chief engineer for the ambitious Boeing 747 project under manager Malcolm T. Stamper, leading a team of 4,500 engineers nicknamed "the Incredibles" to design and build the world's first wide-body jumbo jet from conception to rollout in just 29 months, overcoming challenges like funding cuts and debates over design features such as the distinctive upper deck hump.

Known as the "father of the 747," his leadership revolutionized air travel by enabling mass long-haul passenger and cargo transport, with the aircraft entering service in 1970 and remaining in production for over 50 years, selling more than 1,550 units.​

Joe Sutter advanced to executive vice president for commercial airplane engineering and product development, retiring from Boeing in 1986 after 40 years.

In his later years, he served on the Rogers Commission investigating the 1986 Space Shuttle Challenger disaster, received the 1985 National Medal of Technology, the 2002 International Air Cargo Association Hall of Fame Award, and posthumous induction into the National Aviation Hall of Fame in 2024.

He co-authored the 2006 autobiography 747: Creating the World's First Jumbo Jet and Other Adventures from a Life in Aviation with Jay Spenser, and Boeing honored him by naming its Everett engineering building after him in 2011.

Joe Sutter, married to Nancy French, died on August 30, 2016, in Bremerton, Washington, at age 95 from pneumonia complications, leaving a legacy etched in aviation history.​