Obituary of Richard J. Sullivan

Richard J. Sullivan, 84, beloved husband of Anita C. (Caron) Sullivan, died peacefully on Thursday January 19, 2017 at the Kaplan Family Hospice House in Danvers following an extended illness, while in the comforting presence of his family. Born in Salem, he was the son of the late Thomas H. and Bertha (Crowell) Sullivan. He grew up in Salem, and graduated from Salem High School, Class of 1950. Soon after graduation, he entered the United Shoe Trade School. After graduating trade school Richard entered the Army, and after his discharge from the Army he attended night school at Northeastern University. He served in the United States Army during the Korean War. He worked for the United Shoe Machine Corporation of Beverly, and completed his career at Bostik in Middleton after 39 years of service, as a Mechanical Engineer. Richard was an excellent athlete, and at one point he tried out for the Boston Red Sox. However, his commitment to the Army, and soon after his family, he made a decision not to pursue professional baseball. Still, he enjoyed the game very much, and played in the North Shore League for many years. He was also a coach in Little League and Babe Ruth League, and pitched in the Old Timers Jimmy Fund Game with Peabody Police on Labor Day for 20 years. He enjoyed boating on the ocean, anchoring off of West Beach in Beverly, and fishing. He was an avid golfer at many courses around the North Shore, and enjoyed playing at Fox Fire in Naples, FL many winters. He is survived by his wife Anita (Caron) Sullivan of Peabody, with whom he shared 61 years of marriage; his three sons and a daughter, Richard Sullivan, Jr. and his wife Donna of Salem, William Sullivan of Ipswich, Susan Bunting and her husband Alan of Seabrook, NH, and David Sullivan and his wife Julie of Peabody; 10 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Following cremation, relatives and friends are kindly invited to gather for a visitation on Tuesday from 5 – 8 PM in the Conway, Cahill-Brodeur Funeral Home, 82 Lynn St., Peabody. Those who wish may gather on Wednesday January 25, 2017 at 10 AM from the funeral home, followed by Funeral Mass at 11 AM in St. Thomas the Apostle Church, Peabody. Memorial donations may be made to either Care Dimensions, 75 Sylvan St., Suite B-102, Danvers, MA 01923 or to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, 9 Erie Dr., Suite 101, Natick, MA 01760.