Lt. Col. James E. Sullivan, AUS (Ret.), first-born son of Col. Edwin Sullivan, USAAF (Ret.), and Lt. Marion Haley Sullivan, AUS, passed away on July 17, 2016, in Bellaire, Texas.
Known as Jim to his friends, and Jimmy to his really old friends, he was born on November 17, 1930, at Fort Sam Houston. On July 26, 2016, at 1:15 p.m., he will be laid to rest a stone's throw from where he was born. In between those two dates, he lived a full life, served his country, traveled the world, and provided endless support and care for his family and friends.
Born at the dawn of the Great Depression, Jim grew up in relative privilege, as both of his parents were respected military officers serving in San Antonio. He attended St. Cecilia's and then St. Martin's Hall for elementary and grade school. As Jim got older, his father became concerned that he was being mothered too much, so he sent Jim away to Austin to St. Edward's for both high school and college.
While there, he met lifelong brothers with whom he always stayed in touch. When asked one day what he thought of Plato's Republic, Jim said, "Who am I to judge Plato?" The priest replied, "Like Plato, you are a human being made in God's image. You have equal value to him." He never forgot the lesson, and always treated others with respect.
Jim graduated St. Edward's University in 1951 with a Bachelor of Science degree. He then enlisted for service in the U.S. Army and was assigned to its Medical Corps. He had a bad eye that should have disqualified him from military service, but he discovered early on in life that eye doctors do not really pay attention when they ask patients to look with either their left or right eyes. So, Jim always used his "good" eye twice for any eye exam, and passed every test with flying colors.
The day Jim was commissioned as an officer was the proudest day of his life. He served in various capacities for the Army-first on active duty and then reserve status-in San Antonio, Landstuhl, Germany, and Ft. Campbell in Kentucky. He lost his best friend in the Korean conflict, and Jim always hung a picture of him on his office wall. He volunteered to serve in Vietnam during the war, but the Army had other plans for him. Eventually, after achieving the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, Jim retired from the service. At the age of 60, however, and after being out of the service for many years, Jim was recalled to active duty during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, and he proudly served as a Special Project Officer at the Brooke Army Medical Center. His Army service totaled 23 years.
Jim married Ann Sullivan in 1970. He loved her more than anything else in the world, and he willingly sacrificed more than he ever bargained for to be with her. They made many friends over the years. They loved traveling the world, and saw much of it together. Save for Antarctica, they set foot on every continent on the globe, and accumulated more pictures, souvenirs, and memories than one would think was possible. When friends were in need during trying times, they could always count on Ann and Jim to be there for them.
During his years on civilian status, Jim obtained a Master's Degree in Hospital Administration from Northwestern University. He spent his civilian career working at hospitals in Galveston, Texas, San Francisco, California, and Flint, Michigan. In the 1970s, he began working overseas at the King Faisal Hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He later became the Director of the Women's Hospital in Doha, Qatar, and the Director of the King Fahd Hospital in Gizan, Saudi Arabia. Anytime Jim applied for a job, he purposefully inserted one typographical error into his application, because he did not want his prospective employer thinking he was desperate for work.
Ever since he was a boy watching his father train military pilots, Jim loved airplanes. To him, there was no greater sound than that of a roaring airplane engine. At age 39, Jim became a private pilot, and he loved flying when time and finances permitted. Upon retirement from civilian life, he joined the Civil Air Patrol with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel for four years. In this role, he participated in several Search and Rescue missions for missing pilots.
Jim's heart began failing in 2011, and his prospects for survival beyond a few weeks were bleak. Thanks to the efforts of Dr. Javed Nasir, Jim was placed in touch with renowned cardiologist Dr. Biswajit Kar in Houston, Texas. Due to Dr. Kar's groundbreaking surgery, he achieved a full recovery. Both Jim and his family were grateful to Dr. Nasir and Dr. Kar for extending his life in his twilight years.
Unfortunately, in 2012, Jim's wife Ann passed away. After her death, Jim moved to the Houston Heights to live with his son Edwin's family, all of whom leaned upon him as a trusted and wise soul, even more trusted and wise after a couple of glasses of wine in the evening. He took his grandchildren Kate and James to school every day, frequently attended their extracurricular activities, marveled at their progress, and always let them eat candy and play video games when their parents were not around.
To say Jim was an avid reader is an understatement. He rarely went anywhere without a book, and, except for popular culture-in which he had no interest- you would be hard pressed to find any topic about which Jim would have no passing knowledge.
In April, while having kidney stones removed, he caught double pneumonia at the hospital, which crippled him physically, and he died trying to recover from its effects. He was 85.
Jim is predeceased by his parents, his brother, and his beloved wife, Ann, all of whom are buried at Fort Sam Houston, as well as one son and one granddaughter. He is survived by his remaining children and grandchildren, all of whom he loved and thought about daily, as well as many other loving family members and friends, who will never forget him and Ann. Gone but not forgotten is the most apt expression available.
He was a true gentleman.
A gravesite service and internment with full military honors will be held at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery on July 26, 2016, at 1:15 p.m. Arrangements through Funeral Caring.
All old friends welcome.
Published in Express-News on July 24, 2016
Known as Jim to his friends, and Jimmy to his really old friends, he was born on November 17, 1930, at Fort Sam Houston. On July 26, 2016, at 1:15 p.m., he will be laid to rest a stone's throw from where he was born. In between those two dates, he lived a full life, served his country, traveled the world, and provided endless support and care for his family and friends.
Born at the dawn of the Great Depression, Jim grew up in relative privilege, as both of his parents were respected military officers serving in San Antonio. He attended St. Cecilia's and then St. Martin's Hall for elementary and grade school. As Jim got older, his father became concerned that he was being mothered too much, so he sent Jim away to Austin to St. Edward's for both high school and college.
While there, he met lifelong brothers with whom he always stayed in touch. When asked one day what he thought of Plato's Republic, Jim said, "Who am I to judge Plato?" The priest replied, "Like Plato, you are a human being made in God's image. You have equal value to him." He never forgot the lesson, and always treated others with respect.
Jim graduated St. Edward's University in 1951 with a Bachelor of Science degree. He then enlisted for service in the U.S. Army and was assigned to its Medical Corps. He had a bad eye that should have disqualified him from military service, but he discovered early on in life that eye doctors do not really pay attention when they ask patients to look with either their left or right eyes. So, Jim always used his "good" eye twice for any eye exam, and passed every test with flying colors.
The day Jim was commissioned as an officer was the proudest day of his life. He served in various capacities for the Army-first on active duty and then reserve status-in San Antonio, Landstuhl, Germany, and Ft. Campbell in Kentucky. He lost his best friend in the Korean conflict, and Jim always hung a picture of him on his office wall. He volunteered to serve in Vietnam during the war, but the Army had other plans for him. Eventually, after achieving the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, Jim retired from the service. At the age of 60, however, and after being out of the service for many years, Jim was recalled to active duty during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, and he proudly served as a Special Project Officer at the Brooke Army Medical Center. His Army service totaled 23 years.
Jim married Ann Sullivan in 1970. He loved her more than anything else in the world, and he willingly sacrificed more than he ever bargained for to be with her. They made many friends over the years. They loved traveling the world, and saw much of it together. Save for Antarctica, they set foot on every continent on the globe, and accumulated more pictures, souvenirs, and memories than one would think was possible. When friends were in need during trying times, they could always count on Ann and Jim to be there for them.
During his years on civilian status, Jim obtained a Master's Degree in Hospital Administration from Northwestern University. He spent his civilian career working at hospitals in Galveston, Texas, San Francisco, California, and Flint, Michigan. In the 1970s, he began working overseas at the King Faisal Hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He later became the Director of the Women's Hospital in Doha, Qatar, and the Director of the King Fahd Hospital in Gizan, Saudi Arabia. Anytime Jim applied for a job, he purposefully inserted one typographical error into his application, because he did not want his prospective employer thinking he was desperate for work.
Ever since he was a boy watching his father train military pilots, Jim loved airplanes. To him, there was no greater sound than that of a roaring airplane engine. At age 39, Jim became a private pilot, and he loved flying when time and finances permitted. Upon retirement from civilian life, he joined the Civil Air Patrol with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel for four years. In this role, he participated in several Search and Rescue missions for missing pilots.
Jim's heart began failing in 2011, and his prospects for survival beyond a few weeks were bleak. Thanks to the efforts of Dr. Javed Nasir, Jim was placed in touch with renowned cardiologist Dr. Biswajit Kar in Houston, Texas. Due to Dr. Kar's groundbreaking surgery, he achieved a full recovery. Both Jim and his family were grateful to Dr. Nasir and Dr. Kar for extending his life in his twilight years.
Unfortunately, in 2012, Jim's wife Ann passed away. After her death, Jim moved to the Houston Heights to live with his son Edwin's family, all of whom leaned upon him as a trusted and wise soul, even more trusted and wise after a couple of glasses of wine in the evening. He took his grandchildren Kate and James to school every day, frequently attended their extracurricular activities, marveled at their progress, and always let them eat candy and play video games when their parents were not around.
To say Jim was an avid reader is an understatement. He rarely went anywhere without a book, and, except for popular culture-in which he had no interest- you would be hard pressed to find any topic about which Jim would have no passing knowledge.
In April, while having kidney stones removed, he caught double pneumonia at the hospital, which crippled him physically, and he died trying to recover from its effects. He was 85.
Jim is predeceased by his parents, his brother, and his beloved wife, Ann, all of whom are buried at Fort Sam Houston, as well as one son and one granddaughter. He is survived by his remaining children and grandchildren, all of whom he loved and thought about daily, as well as many other loving family members and friends, who will never forget him and Ann. Gone but not forgotten is the most apt expression available.
He was a true gentleman.
A gravesite service and internment with full military honors will be held at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery on July 26, 2016, at 1:15 p.m. Arrangements through Funeral Caring.
All old friends welcome.
Published in Express-News on July 24, 2016
Lt. Col. James E. Sullivan, AUS (Ret.), first-born son of Col. Edwin Sullivan, USAAF (Ret.), and Lt. Marion Haley Sullivan, AUS, passed away on July 17, 2016, in Bellaire, Texas.
Known as Jim to his friends, and Jimmy to his really old friends, he was born on November 17, 1930, at Fort Sam Houston. On July 26, 2016, at 1:15 p.m., he will be laid to rest a stone's throw from where he was born. In between those two dates, he lived a full life, served his country, traveled the world, and provided endless support and care for his family and friends.
Born at the dawn of the Great Depression, Jim grew up in relative privilege, as both of his parents were respected military officers serving in San Antonio. He attended St. Cecilia's and then St. Martin's Hall for elementary and grade school. As Jim got older, his father became concerned that he was being mothered too much, so he sent Jim away to Austin to St. Edward's for both high school and college.
While there, he met lifelong brothers with whom he always stayed in touch. When asked one day what he thought of Plato's Republic, Jim said, "Who am I to judge Plato?" The priest replied, "Like Plato, you are a human being made in God's image. You have equal value to him." He never forgot the lesson, and always treated others with respect.
Jim graduated St. Edward's University in 1951 with a Bachelor of Science degree. He then enlisted for service in the U.S. Army and was assigned to its Medical Corps. He had a bad eye that should have disqualified him from military service, but he discovered early on in life that eye doctors do not really pay attention when they ask patients to look with either their left or right eyes. So, Jim always used his "good" eye twice for any eye exam, and passed every test with flying colors.
The day Jim was commissioned as an officer was the proudest day of his life. He served in various capacities for the Army-first on active duty and then reserve status-in San Antonio, Landstuhl, Germany, and Ft. Campbell in Kentucky. He lost his best friend in the Korean conflict, and Jim always hung a picture of him on his office wall. He volunteered to serve in Vietnam during the war, but the Army had other plans for him. Eventually, after achieving the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, Jim retired from the service. At the age of 60, however, and after being out of the service for many years, Jim was recalled to active duty during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, and he proudly served as a Special Project Officer at the Brooke Army Medical Center. His Army service totaled 23 years.
Jim married Ann Sullivan in 1970. He loved her more than anything else in the world, and he willingly sacrificed more than he ever bargained for to be with her. They made many friends over the years. They loved traveling the world, and saw much of it together. Save for Antarctica, they set foot on every continent on the globe, and accumulated more pictures, souvenirs, and memories than one would think was possible. When friends were in need during trying times, they could always count on Ann and Jim to be there for them.
During his years on civilian status, Jim obtained a Master's Degree in Hospital Administration from Northwestern University. He spent his civilian career working at hospitals in Galveston, Texas, San Francisco, California, and Flint, Michigan. In the 1970s, he began working overseas at the King Faisal Hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He later became the Director of the Women's Hospital in Doha, Qatar, and the Director of the King Fahd Hospital in Gizan, Saudi Arabia. Anytime Jim applied for a job, he purposefully inserted one typographical error into his application, because he did not want his prospective employer thinking he was desperate for work.
Ever since he was a boy watching his father train military pilots, Jim loved airplanes. To him, there was no greater sound than that of a roaring airplane engine. At age 39, Jim became a private pilot, and he loved flying when time and finances permitted. Upon retirement from civilian life, he joined the Civil Air Patrol with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel for four years. In this role, he participated in several Search and Rescue missions for missing pilots.
Jim's heart began failing in 2011, and his prospects for survival beyond a few weeks were bleak. Thanks to the efforts of Dr. Javed Nasir, Jim was placed in touch with renowned cardiologist Dr. Biswajit Kar in Houston, Texas. Due to Dr. Kar's groundbreaking surgery, he achieved a full recovery. Both Jim and his family were grateful to Dr. Nasir and Dr. Kar for extending his life in his twilight years.
Unfortunately, in 2012, Jim's wife Ann passed away. After her death, Jim moved to the Houston Heights to live with his son Edwin's family, all of whom leaned upon him as a trusted and wise soul, even more trusted and wise after a couple of glasses of wine in the evening. He took his grandchildren Kate and James to school every day, frequently attended their extracurricular activities, marveled at their progress, and always let them eat candy and play video games when their parents were not around.
To say Jim was an avid reader is an understatement. He rarely went anywhere without a book, and, except for popular culture-in which he had no interest- you would be hard pressed to find any topic about which Jim would have no passing knowledge.
In April, while having kidney stones removed, he caught double pneumonia at the hospital, which crippled him physically, and he died trying to recover from its effects. He was 85.
Jim is predeceased by his parents, his brother, and his beloved wife, Ann, all of whom are buried at Fort Sam Houston, as well as one son and one granddaughter. He is survived by his remaining children and grandchildren, all of whom he loved and thought about daily, as well as many other loving family members and friends, who will never forget him and Ann. Gone but not forgotten is the most apt expression available.
He was a true gentleman.
A gravesite service and internment with full military honors will be held at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery on July 26, 2016, at 1:15 p.m. Arrangements through Funeral Caring.
All old friends welcome.
Published in Express-News on July 24, 2016
Known as Jim to his friends, and Jimmy to his really old friends, he was born on November 17, 1930, at Fort Sam Houston. On July 26, 2016, at 1:15 p.m., he will be laid to rest a stone's throw from where he was born. In between those two dates, he lived a full life, served his country, traveled the world, and provided endless support and care for his family and friends.
Born at the dawn of the Great Depression, Jim grew up in relative privilege, as both of his parents were respected military officers serving in San Antonio. He attended St. Cecilia's and then St. Martin's Hall for elementary and grade school. As Jim got older, his father became concerned that he was being mothered too much, so he sent Jim away to Austin to St. Edward's for both high school and college.
While there, he met lifelong brothers with whom he always stayed in touch. When asked one day what he thought of Plato's Republic, Jim said, "Who am I to judge Plato?" The priest replied, "Like Plato, you are a human being made in God's image. You have equal value to him." He never forgot the lesson, and always treated others with respect.
Jim graduated St. Edward's University in 1951 with a Bachelor of Science degree. He then enlisted for service in the U.S. Army and was assigned to its Medical Corps. He had a bad eye that should have disqualified him from military service, but he discovered early on in life that eye doctors do not really pay attention when they ask patients to look with either their left or right eyes. So, Jim always used his "good" eye twice for any eye exam, and passed every test with flying colors.
The day Jim was commissioned as an officer was the proudest day of his life. He served in various capacities for the Army-first on active duty and then reserve status-in San Antonio, Landstuhl, Germany, and Ft. Campbell in Kentucky. He lost his best friend in the Korean conflict, and Jim always hung a picture of him on his office wall. He volunteered to serve in Vietnam during the war, but the Army had other plans for him. Eventually, after achieving the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, Jim retired from the service. At the age of 60, however, and after being out of the service for many years, Jim was recalled to active duty during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, and he proudly served as a Special Project Officer at the Brooke Army Medical Center. His Army service totaled 23 years.
Jim married Ann Sullivan in 1970. He loved her more than anything else in the world, and he willingly sacrificed more than he ever bargained for to be with her. They made many friends over the years. They loved traveling the world, and saw much of it together. Save for Antarctica, they set foot on every continent on the globe, and accumulated more pictures, souvenirs, and memories than one would think was possible. When friends were in need during trying times, they could always count on Ann and Jim to be there for them.
During his years on civilian status, Jim obtained a Master's Degree in Hospital Administration from Northwestern University. He spent his civilian career working at hospitals in Galveston, Texas, San Francisco, California, and Flint, Michigan. In the 1970s, he began working overseas at the King Faisal Hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He later became the Director of the Women's Hospital in Doha, Qatar, and the Director of the King Fahd Hospital in Gizan, Saudi Arabia. Anytime Jim applied for a job, he purposefully inserted one typographical error into his application, because he did not want his prospective employer thinking he was desperate for work.
Ever since he was a boy watching his father train military pilots, Jim loved airplanes. To him, there was no greater sound than that of a roaring airplane engine. At age 39, Jim became a private pilot, and he loved flying when time and finances permitted. Upon retirement from civilian life, he joined the Civil Air Patrol with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel for four years. In this role, he participated in several Search and Rescue missions for missing pilots.
Jim's heart began failing in 2011, and his prospects for survival beyond a few weeks were bleak. Thanks to the efforts of Dr. Javed Nasir, Jim was placed in touch with renowned cardiologist Dr. Biswajit Kar in Houston, Texas. Due to Dr. Kar's groundbreaking surgery, he achieved a full recovery. Both Jim and his family were grateful to Dr. Nasir and Dr. Kar for extending his life in his twilight years.
Unfortunately, in 2012, Jim's wife Ann passed away. After her death, Jim moved to the Houston Heights to live with his son Edwin's family, all of whom leaned upon him as a trusted and wise soul, even more trusted and wise after a couple of glasses of wine in the evening. He took his grandchildren Kate and James to school every day, frequently attended their extracurricular activities, marveled at their progress, and always let them eat candy and play video games when their parents were not around.
To say Jim was an avid reader is an understatement. He rarely went anywhere without a book, and, except for popular culture-in which he had no interest- you would be hard pressed to find any topic about which Jim would have no passing knowledge.
In April, while having kidney stones removed, he caught double pneumonia at the hospital, which crippled him physically, and he died trying to recover from its effects. He was 85.
Jim is predeceased by his parents, his brother, and his beloved wife, Ann, all of whom are buried at Fort Sam Houston, as well as one son and one granddaughter. He is survived by his remaining children and grandchildren, all of whom he loved and thought about daily, as well as many other loving family members and friends, who will never forget him and Ann. Gone but not forgotten is the most apt expression available.
He was a true gentleman.
A gravesite service and internment with full military honors will be held at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery on July 26, 2016, at 1:15 p.m. Arrangements through Funeral Caring.
All old friends welcome.
Published in Express-News on July 24, 2016
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