Dr. Edward Francis Sullivan Jr.

Dr. Edward F. Sullivan Jr. of Clemmons passed away on August 7, 2013 at the age of 93. He was the son of the late Edward and Thelma Sullivan.

He is survived by his devoted wife of 65 years, Madeline. Also surviving are his loving children, Edward Sullivan III and wife Joan McKenna; Hannah Sullivan; Anne Parra and husband Alvaro “Al” Gonzalez; Matthew Sullivan and wife Mary; three grandchildren, Madeline, Caroline, and Matthew; and one great grandchild, Quinn.

Born 1920 in Scarborough, Maine, Dr. Sullivan grew up on his family’s farm. He graduated from the CAA Civilian Pilot Training Program and served in the Army Air Corps as a ground-school instructor during World War II. He received a B.S. Degree in Agronomy from the University of Maine, and M.S. and Ph.D. Degrees in Agriculture and Forage Crops from Cornell University.

Dr. Sullivan was a Professor of Agronomy at Southern Illinois University and Pennsylvania State University before becoming Manager of Crop Protection at the Great Western Sugar Company in Longmont, Colorado. After retiring in 1984, he and his wife relocated to North Carolina to be closer to family.

Considered one of the world’s foremost authorities on crop protection and soil erosion, Dr. Sullivan authored numerous scientific articles and contributed to several agricultural patents. He was elected to the International Institution for Sugar Beet Research in Brussels, Belgium; and received the Meritorious Service Award from the American Society of Sugar Beet Technologists. His professional memberships included the American Society of Agronomy, Weed Science Society of America, and the International Institute for Sugar Beet Research. He was also a founding member of the Plant Growth Regulator Society of America.

A private memorial mass, officiated by Rev. Brian Cook, was held at Holy Family Catholic Church in Clemmons on August 24, 2013.

The family wishes to extend its gratitude to Novant Health West Forsyth and the Kate B. Reynolds Hospice Home for their care and support. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the KBR Hospice Home, 101 Hospice Lane, Winston-Salem, NC 27103.