Timothy Grady Sullivan

Born on February 8, 1941, in Princeville, Illinois, Tim was the son of John Charles Sullivan and Dorothy Kominsky Sullivan. He grew up in Dunlap, Illinois. He spent many years in Belmont, California, before ultimately making Boca Raton, Florida, his home for the past 37 years. He shared more than 51 years of marriage, travel, adventure, and family with Erna de Lange Sullivan and was the proud father of Timothy Sullivan Jr., Kristine Sullivan Moeller (Darin), Andrea “Dre” Sullivan Garcia (Rich), and Alana Sullivan Garcia (John).

Tim loved to fly. He earned his pilot’s license at 17 years old and continued flying until he was 75. Over the course of his lifetime, he logged more than 26,000 flight hours, spending almost three full years of his life above the clouds. His career took him around the world and fueled a lifelong love of travel.

After attending Bradley University for two years, Tim entered the United States Air Force through Officer Candidate School, where he later served four years as a fighter pilot. His call sign was “Clark Kent,” and at age 21, he was among the youngest fighter pilots in the Air Force at the time. He later began a 37-year career with Pan Am, ultimately serving as a Boeing 747 captain.

It was through Pan Am that Tim met Dutch flight attendant Erna de Lange, the woman who would become his wife and partner for more than 51 years. Among their many experiences, Tim and Erna participated in Pan Am’s efforts to help evacuate people from Vietnam before the fall of Saigon, a moment they remembered throughout their lives.

If there was an airplane in the sky, Tim was looking up. He could identify aircraft at a glance. Flying was never just a job for Tim. It was part of who he was.

Before his aviation career, Tim raced speedboats on the Illinois River as a young man and later became an accomplished sailor, winning numerous races out of Coyote Point on the San Francisco Bay. Whether on the water or in the air, he loved being on the move.

If you knew Tim, you knew he was always telling jokes. Always.

One of his favorites was:

“Do you know the secret to a long life?”

“Keep having birthdays.”

Tim was endlessly curious about the world. He loved American history, learning new things, and making people laugh.

His children remember a father who taught them how to drive, fish, surf, boogie board, sail, water ski, snow ski, fly airplanes, appreciate the beach, read the stars, enjoy woodworking, play pool, and develop a lifelong love of travel and geography. He was also known for his endless supply of dad jokes. No adventure was complete without one of Dad’s homemade “MacGyver” safety kits.

Tim absolutely loved the beach. Whether he was walking along the shoreline, watching the waves, or spending time in or on the water, it was one of his favorite places to be.

He always seemed to have an interesting fact ready, whether it was about airplanes, constellations, the height of Mount Fuji, or one of the many places he had visited around the world.

One of Tim’s greatest joys was watching his children and grandchildren grow. He was a familiar face at their sporting events, always cheering them on from the sidelines.

Tim is survived by his loving wife, Erna de Lange Sullivan; his children, Timothy Sullivan Jr., Kristine Sullivan Moeller (Darin), Andrea “Dre” Sullivan Garcia (Rich), and Alana Sullivan Garcia (John); his grandchildren, Brendon Moeller, Joseph Moeller, Katharine Moeller, Danica Moeller, Ryler Garcia, Briella Garcia, Mila Garcia, Audrey Garcia, and Hazel Garcia; and his sister, Mary (Sullivan) Carter. He was preceded in death by his sister, Dody (Sullivan) Powers, and his brothers, John Sullivan, Pat Sullivan, and Mick Sullivan.

Those who knew Tim will remember his sense of humor, his love of flying, and the pride he took in his family.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, July 17th, at Calvary Chapel, 1551 W. Camino Real, Boca Raton, FL 33486.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Tim’s memory to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research or Samaritan’s Purse: https://www.samaritanspurse.org/memorial-page/timothy-grady-sullivan-boca-raton-fl/

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