Douglas Sullivan

1936 - 2022

Douglas Sullivan
11/23/1936 - 09/11/2022
Douglas Wayne Sullivan died on Sunday, September 11 in Houston, Texas.

Doug was born in Brookfield, Missouri, the only child of Maxine and Ermil Sullivan. As a child, he especially enjoyed learning to play baseball by playing pitch and catch with his father. He later played basketball and baseball for Brookfield High School and on baseball teams sponsored by the American Legion and the Ban Johnson League.

After Doug's father returned from World War II, he owned a small grocery store where Doug worked. Before he gained a driver's license, Doug made deliveries in his dad's truck staying off the main streets. He never accepted a tip because he was the owner's son, however he would accept chickens as barter.

Doug's baseball career ended at the University of Missouri where engineering labs conflicted with baseball practice forcing a choice between the two. He went on to earn a B.S. in chemical engineering. He was a member of Delta Tau Delta fraternity. Not satisfied being an alumnus from only one college - and with both a wife and daughter graduating from Baylor University - Doug eventually became an alumnus by choice of Baylor University.

After college graduation, Doug entered the United States Air Force as a second lieutenant. His first assignment was for a year's study of meteorology at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA). He served as a meteorologist at Charleston Air Force Base and Whiteman Air Force Base before his honorable discharge.

Doug was a lifelong learner with an inquisitive mind. His reading interests were broad, deep, and complex. He was also kind and authentic with a quick and playful wit. He had the gift of making everyone feel special and at-ease, always shifting the conversation away from himself to inquire about the other person's interests, well-being and whether they saw the Astros play the previous day.

Doug's career included working at Petro-Tex Chemical Company in Houston before forming Whitson-Sullivan Company, a manufacturers' representative business that sold equipment in the air pollution control, heat transfer and process fields to help individuals and companies solve oil and gas, energy and petrochemical challenges. He approached his business with great enthusiasm as he did with everything.

Golf was Doug's favorite hobby. He enjoyed the camaraderie of golfers from South Main Baptist Church, Klein School District, and Gleannloch Pines Golf Course as well as the challenge of the game.

Doug and Ann Garner met at the First Baptist Church in Sedalia, Missouri where she was a summer missionary and he was in the Air Force. They married in Gulfport, Mississippi in 1961 and celebrated their sixtieth wedding anniversary in June with a party given by their amazing neighbors. Their only child, Lee Ann Sullivan Moore, is married to Richard Moore. Their grandsons are Douglas Moore, Patrick Moore, and Michael Moore. These young men have brought much joy to their grandfather. From cheering them on in sports, sharing books with them, and encouraging them by his example, Doug has basked in being "Granddaddy."

Doug joined South Main Baptist Church of Houston in 1961where he and his family were actively involved. He served as a deacon and in a variety of leadership roles.

A memorial service will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, September 23 at South Main Baptist Church, 4100 Main Street, Houston 77002. For those unable to attend the service, please contact a family member for live streaming instructions.

The family kindly suggests that memorial donations be made to South Main Baptist Church Henry Hill Memorial Shoe Drive or the charity of your choice. The Shoe Drive is part of the Buckner Shoes for Orphan Souls and provides new shoes and socks in the U. S. and abroad for the world's most vulnerable children.