Robert Alvin Curtis Sullivan Sr.

Robert (Bob) A.C. Sullivan, Sr., 81, of Columbia, Maryland peacefully passed away in his sleep and went to be with his Savior in Glory on Saturday, October 17, 2026. He loved his wife, Jullie Ann Louthan Sullivan; they had been married 59 years this year. We have peace knowing that he is now in a perfect world without pain.

Bob was born on April 14, 1945, in Archer County, Texas, to the late Hollis and Esteline Sullivan. Bob was raised with his brother, Si, and two sisters, Barbara and Pat, in Electra, Texas. He graduated from Texas Tech University in 1967 with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics. While in college, he joined Army ROTC and decided in his junior year that he would continue with the Army after graduation. While he waited to go into the military, he took several odd jobs with a plumber and an electrician, gaining skills that would prove to be very useful in household projects for decades to come. After graduation, Bob was in Army active-duty service for two years, fulfilling his military service commitment. After leaving active-duty service, he went into the Army Reserves where he would “play soldier” for two weeks out of every year. He eventually retired from the Reserves with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Bob was extremely proud of his military service to his country.

In 1967, Bob married Jullie Louthan, a girl he met at the Disciples of Christ across the street from Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas. Their blind date had been arranged by Jullie’s roommate, Laurie Webb. After a great deal of coaxing by Laurie, Jullie finally agreed to leave her studies and attend the get-together at the church. They married on August 19, 1967.

In 1970, leveraging his Mathematics degree, Bob began a 41-year career as a systems analyst for the National Security Agency (NSA) in Fort Meade, Maryland, a very challenging job. He possessed an ethic of hard work, which had been instilled in him at an early age, and through determination and grit, he proved to his superiors that he was very good at his job. As an added bonus, he thoroughly enjoyed his work.

One of the professional assignments Bob was most proud of was his two-year PCS (permanent change of station) to Bangkok, Thailand, in the early 1980s. Before leaving for Bangkok in 1980, Bob learned to speak, read, and write the Thai language fluently. He found his experience in Bangkok very challenging but rewarding.

Apart from his family and his faith, Bob’s driving passions were solving puzzles, something he got paid to do daily throughout his professional career, and music. He possessed a rich tenor voice, and he could play most brass instruments in the orchestra. The trombone, however, was his favorite instrument.

Bob is survived by his wife, Jullie Louthan Sullivan, son, Robert (Bob) A.C. Sullivan, Jr. (Angela), daughter, Laurie A. Bevan (Russell), 7 grandchildren (Paige and Claire Sullivan, Hope Richard (Nick), Shelby, Caleb (Ellie), Joshua (Amethyst), and Josiah Bevan), his two sisters, Barbara Brewer (Gordon), and Pat Doan, as well as several nephews and nieces. He is preceded in death by his parents, Hollis and Esteline Sullivan and brother, Si (Evon) Sullivan and niece, Trisha Esteline Sullivan.

A funeral to celebrate Bob’s life will be held at 3 p.m. on Sunday, October 25, 2026, Columbia Presbyterian Church, 10001 Route 108, Columbia, MD 21044, where family and friends can begin visiting at 2 p.m. There will be a small reception at the church following the service. The burial will be held at the Columbia Memorial Park in Clarksville on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, at 11 a.m.