Obituary of Jack Edwin Sullivan

Jack was born and spent the first 18 years of his life in Oak Creek, CO where he enjoyed hunting and fishing with his friends. He moved to Billings, MT in 1955 where he met and married Marilyn Griggs in 1956. They celebrated 65 years of marriage in May. They moved to Denver, CO in 1958 where sons, Tim and James, were born. He worked for Bealle Pipe and Tank Corp, building transport tankers and took pride pointing out on the highway ones that he had built. In 1964 the family moved to Moss Beach, CA where son, Mike, joined the family in 1968. Jack worked at United Airlines Maintenance base in San Francisco for 34 years where he met lifelong friends. Jack’s avocation was building steel commercial fishing vessels. He spent eight years building five boats; laboring on them after his normal work hours and on the weekends. After his family, he was most proud of this accomplishment. Jack built the family’s first California home, remodeled three other homes, and did all of the finish work on our Harbor Island home. Jack was a craftsman and an overall go-to fix it guy, both at work and at home. When there were repair, building, or vehicle problems, he was the one who was called on for advice or solutions. He told a story from his childhood that exemplified his character. He wanted an anvil he found abandoned in a field. It was much too heavy for him to carry so each day on the way home from school, he would roll it as far as he could until he finally got it home. It was an enormous accomplishment for a young child as they lived at the top of a steep hill. He had the lifelong determination to work hard for what he wanted and had the perseverance to accomplish what he set out to do. Jack was preceded in death by his parents, Tim and Phyllis Sullivan and brother, Eugene Sullivan. He is survived by his wife, Marilyn, sons: Tim (Jane), James (Gay), Mike (Tam), and eight grandchildren: Tim (Jessica), Ryan (Christina), Jeff (partner Jenny), Bret (Hui), Laura (partner Jordan), Matt (Jack), Jo-an Gunderson (Matt), James Harper (Carolyne), and eight great grandchildren. He is also survived by his sister, Cindy Covillo (Wayne), sister Jean Shanley (Dick) and brother Bob Fryar. He is also survived by beloved nieces, nephews, and cousins.