Francis "Frank" Patrick Sullivan

Frank Sullivan, 85, passed away after a brief illness on April 20, 2026. He was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather, and will be sorely missed and fondly remembered for his quiet strength, dry sense of humor, warm smile, and unwavering dedication to the people he loved.

He was born on April 22, 1940 in New York City to Francis Sullivan and Lillian (Staples) Sullivan. He was raised in the Bronx and attended St. John’s Elementary School and Fordham Preparatory School before enlisting in the Army after high school. A Vietnam veteran, he served as a member of the US Army Signal Corps in Saigon, Vietnam and Kaiserslautern, Germany from 1963 until 1966. After returning from deployment, he worked at the New York Telephone Company and at Riverside Research Institute (RRI) at Columbia University while also attending The City College of New York. While working at RRI, he met his colleague and future wife, Patricia, and embarked on a lifetime of shared joys and experiences. During this time, he returned to Europe for a memorable, extended vacation with Patricia. This included touring in a Volkswagen Fastback that they purchased from the Wolfsburg factory, abruptly fleeing Czechoslovakia at the start of the Warsaw Pact invasion, and ultimately shipping their new car back to the US.

The year 1969 was a seminal one for Frank; he graduated from the City College of New York in June, was honorably discharged from the Army in July, and was married to Patricia in August. After marrying, Frank and Patricia moved to Bergenfield, NJ where he worked for a company developing hardware designs for systems to automate stock transfers. Four years later, 1973 proved to be another milestone year for Frank, as he and Patricia started a family by welcoming their first son, Joseph. During this time, he also began a 30-year career with ITT Defense & Communications Division where he focused on the development of military communications systems.

Shortly after the birth of their second son, Francis, Frank and Pat purchased property and built a home in Frankford Township, NJ to raise their growing family. Frank and Patricia completed their family with the addition of two daughters, Maryann and Patricia. Despite a long commute to work, Frank enjoyed the open space and recreation opportunities that Sussex County offered, spending weekends hiking, riding bicycles, and picnicking with his children. He kept busy with various projects in his spare time, including building retaining walls, terraces, built-in desks and cabinets, and his large vegetable garden.

Frank remained active and curious in retirement, always finding something meaningful to do - tackling home projects, tending his garden, hiking, cross-country skiing, baking, traveling, and, most of all, enjoying time with his grandchildren. He particularly enjoyed vacationing in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, Kona, Hawaii, and Hilton Head, South Carolina. He had a lifelong interest in the sciences and encouraged his children to consider careers in science, health care, and engineering. His hobbies included electronics and carpentry, with the former evolving from model trains as a boy to computers and communications technology as an adult – noting that protocols and hardware that he worked on are still in use today. He shared his passion for technology by volunteering his time to teach elementary school robotics classes, inspiring a new generation of students to pursue careers in science and engineering. He was a faithful parishioner at Our Lady Queen of Peace Church in Branchville, NJ.

Frank is survived by his loving wife of 56 years, Patricia, his children Joseph (Cruzita) Sullivan, Francis (Harmony) Sullivan, Maryann (Neil DeLoggio) Sullivan, and Patricia (Jeremy Lock) Sullivan, his sister Connie Casey, and his grandchildren Allie, Jack, Finn, Kai, Xavier, Henry, Genny, Remy, and Tony. He was preceded in death by his parents, Francis and Lillian, and his sister, Agnes. A funeral mass will be held at Our Lady Queen of Peace Church in Branchville, NJ on June 19th, 2026, at 12 p.m. followed by a celebration of life. All friends and family are invited to attend and share fond memories of Frank.