Lt. Col. Joseph P. Sullivan, Ph.D

Lt. Col. Joseph Pierce Sullivan, age 91, passed away on Friday, November 20, 2020, surrounded by love with his family at his home in San Antonio. He has been reunited with his sister, Nelzena (Noxie) Sullivan Gilmer, and his parents, the late Ira Pierce Sullivan and Bessie Irene Coleman Sullivan. Joseph was an extraordinary man who had a profound zeal for life. He was deeply and unconditionally loving to his family and friends. He was a lifelong scholar devoted to learning. He was witty, entrepreneurial, dynamic, and musical. Above all else, he lived his faith with the utmost authenticity and devotion.

Born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, he attended Boy’s High School in Atlanta, Georgia. He graduated from the Georgia Institute of Technology with a degree in civil engineering on December 15, 1951, where he served as Vice President of Chi Epsilon, the honorary civil engineering fraternity. After returning from the Korean War, he graduated from Baylor University with a B.A. in History and an M.A. in World Religions. He simultaneously completed his Bachelor of Divinity degree at Southwestern Baptist Theological seminary where he studied at both the Southern Seminary and Princeton University. He also obtained his M.A. in psychology from the University of Texas at Austin in 1966. While there, he founded the Texas Engineering and Science Magazine and served as its first Editor-in-Chief and was elected the most outstanding assemblyman while a member of the Student Assembly in 1964-65. In 2002, he fulfilled his lifelong dream and obtained his Ph.D. in education from Incarnate Word University.

Joseph was a deeply patriotic man who loved his country. On the same date of his graduation from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 1951, he was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force and called to active duty several days later. He served in the combat zone of Korea during the Korean Civil War until the ceasefire in 1953. He joined the U.S. Air Force reserves and was assigned to White Sands Missile Development Center in Los Alamos amongst other distinctions. He honorably served 28 years and reached the rank of Lieutenant Colonel of the U.S. Air Force.

On September 1, 1966, he became a professor of psychology at San Antonio College where he taught for 52 years. He retired in 2018 and was recognized as Professor Emeritus of Psychology, Philosophy, and Student Development.

He was a believer and lived his faith deeply. After he obtained his divinity degree in 1960, he served for 2.5 years as pastor of the First Baptist Church of Hackberry, Louisiana, where he also tutored children in reading and arithmetic and discovered his natural talent for teaching that he carried throughout his life. In 1966, he founded the Faith Baptist Church where he ministered for many years. He counseled students at San Antonio College, did marriage counseling, and performed weddings for thousands across San Antonio over the years.

He was a talented piano player with perfect pitch, was able to play guitar and accordion, and even put out a single called “Gotta Go to Work” in the 1960s. He lovingly played a medley of piano music every morning for his wife up until his final days. Joseph is survived by his wife of 30 years, Carmina Somers Sullivan; his daughter, Aryah Somers Landsberger; sons, Price Sullivan and Joey Sullivan; and grandchildren, David and Jonathan Landsberger and Aubrey Sullivan.

GRAVESIDE SERVICE

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2020

9:00 A.M.

FT. SAM HOUSTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

1520 HARRY WURZBACH

Pallbearers will be Aryah Somers Landsberger, Dan Landsberger, Price Sullivan, Joey Sullivan, Oscar Zeno, and Richard Bush.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, contributions be made to the Dr. Joseph P. Sullivan Scholarship Fund at the Alamo Colleges Foundation, which will go to support students majoring in psychology. You can make your donation by going to https://www.alamo.edu/give and in the Designation section, scroll down to "Other" and a text box will open where you should write "Dr. Joseph P Sullivan Scholarship Fund." We thank you for your donation to support his dream of supporting students in their success.