Clyde Everett Sullivan

1922 - 2016

October 14, 1922 ~ January 25, 2016
Clyde Everett Sullivan, beloved father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, passed away peacefully at home on January 25, 2016.
Clyde was born to Irene Weil and Harvey Clyde Sullivan on October 14, 1922 in Colorado Springs, Colorado. As a toddler sitting on his parent's laps he learned to read. In school, far beyond his peers, his teachers gave him his own curriculum. A brave and determined 19 year-old, he packed two suitcases and strode onto BYU campus to find out how to enroll. A caring professor took him under his wing and showed Clyde how to begin his college career. He met Nola deJong who fell in love with his broad shoulders and thick blonde hair. Nola and Clyde were married May 1, 1944 in the Salt Lake Temple. Together they shared 71 fulfilling years raising three children, and being blessed with nine grandchildren, and twelve great-grandchildren.
Clyde earned his masters and doctoral degrees from University of California at Berkeley. As a judo and wrestling champion, his skills were an asset to the Navy, where he taught hand-to-hand combat in World War II. As the war came to a close, Clyde's commanding officer supported him in his interest to pursue higher education, which was made possible through the GI Bill at Cal Berkeley. Clyde was a pioneer in the diagnosis and treatment of juvenile delinquency and criminal rehabilitation. Traveling the country for his research, he joked that he had slept in nearly every penitentiary in the western world. Clyde was one of the founding administrators and professors at the College of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey in Newark. He also served as the executive director of the Children's Psychiatric Center of New Jersey, the largest children's psychiatric service in the country. Clyde was the man anyone could trust with their confidences, and he made himself available to listen no matter his personal circumstances. Committed, insightful, and empathetic, Clyde dedicated his life to assisting minds in turmoil to discover their own solutions.
When he lost his sight to macular degeneration in the early 1990s Clyde applied the same principles he'd taught others, to persevere and thrive through his own adversity.
Not only was Clyde an inspired psychologist, he was also an artist and a forward thinker. In the early 1980s Clyde and Nola built their solar dream home in Provo where they settled to be "hands-on grandparents." He sculpted and continued woodworking, even while blind. He enjoyed public speaking, playing the organ and French horn, and ballroom dancing with Nola.
A devoted member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Clyde served in many callings. He was a high councilor, bishop and with Nola filled an Addiction Recovery Mission. In his twilight years he cherished his calling as a veil worker in the Provo Temple, working in both Spanish and English.
Clyde is survived by two of his children: Michael (Christine) Sullivan and Kim (Craig) Stevens; nine grandchildren: Mason (Sasha) Sullivan, Andrew (Kirsen) Sullivan, Steven (Amy) Sullivan, Cameron (Rachel) Sullivan, Amy (Aaron) McAllister, Mark (Mindy) Sullivan, Karen Sullivan, Matt (Madison) Stevens, and Kathleen Stevens; and 12 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, Nola, their son, Noel (Sara Henderson), his brother Norman Sullivan and his mother Irene Sullivan.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, January 30, 2016 at the Rock Canyon LDS Chapel, 3050 North Mojave Lane, Provo, Utah. A viewing will be held at the church from 9:30-10:45 a.m. prior to services. Interment will follow at the Provo City Cemetery. Condolences may be extended to the family at www.bergmortuary.com.