Thomas Hillman Sullivan Sr.

Thomas Hillman Sullivan (Sr) has passed peacefully from this life. Tom was born in his family home on October 18, 1918, near Conyers, Georgia. His birth was observed by an entry in his family’s Bible. He was the second oldest of eight children born to Thomas Jefferson Sullivan and Robbye O’Kelly Sullivan. He died in his sleep at his home in Colorado Springs, Colorado, on March 23, 2017. He is survived by 3 sons: Thomas, Jr.(Tom) of Westcliffe, Colorado; John (Tony) of Newnan, Georgia, and Andrew of Milton, Georgia. He is also survived by a brother, William, of Conyers, Georgia; a sister, Mary, of Signal Mountain, Tennessee, and a sister, Jo, of Atlanta, Georgia. Tom was preceded in death by his wife of 68 years, Nalda Mary Coplantz Sullivan and his daughter, Patricia Elaine (Sullivan) McGeehan.

Tom was graduated from Conyers High School, in Conyers, Georgia, in 1937. He was drafted into the United States Army (USA) in 1940 in the first prewar draft. He served as a drill instructor for various armored divisions at Fort Knox, Kentucky, until volunteering for and assigned to duty with the 126th Combat Engineers Battalion attached to the 10th Mountain Division. Tom served as a company 1st Sergeant when the 10th Mountain division deployed to Italy as part of the 5th Army for combat operations in 1945 until the Second World War ended. Fulfilling his duties in a leadership position during front line combat, Tom earned several campaign and expeditionary medals.

After the war, Tom was mustered out of the Army at Camp (now Fort) Carson, Colorado, near Colorado Springs. He then returned to Georgia to begin the next chapter in his life with his wife and daughter. He worked at the Fisher Body plant near East Point, Georgia, and also attended Draughn Business College at night. After finishing this curriculum, he secured employment at DeKalb Supply Company in Decatur, Georgia, as Secretary and Treasure and remained there until its closure in 1972 when Marta (Metro Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority) bought the property for the College Avenue Station site. Tom subsequently worked at Smith Hardware in Decatur and Handy Hardware in Tucker, Georgia, until his fulltime retirement.

Tom taught himself wood crafting and built himself a fully outfitted workshop at his home where he spent many hours restoring antique furniture, some were displayed by the DeKalb Historical Society. Tom was very well known in DeKalb County for his work and his hobby. He was extremely well respected by all who knew him. He took care of everyone who was in his circle, not just his family but also those who worked for and with him as well as social acquaintances. He was a loving father, doing (too much), a faithful husband, mentor and avid sports fan. Tom was a rock-solid personality, genuine, personable, reliable to a fault, truthful and always quick to share a laugh or excite one. He highly valued education and industrious ambition and while his opportunities as a child were limited by his sharecropper upbringing, he inspired all four of his children to achieve advanced degrees.

How to put 99 years on one page.

“My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still, My Father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse or will, The ship is anchor’d safe and sound, its voyage closed and done,”

We will miss you, Dad – your guidance, your counsel, your affection. Fly to your journey.

“And putting love away We shall not want to use again Until Eternity”

Visitation will be held Monday, March 27, 2017 from 2-4pm at Swan-Law Funeral Directors.