Marty Sullivan

Born Martin Jude Sullivan to Frank & Babs Sullivan on March 27th, 1948, in Manchester, NH, Marty was one of seven siblings. He attended school at Blessed Sacrament and later, Manchester Memorial High. At one point, he was an Altar Boy. He left home and, at 17, unbeknownst to his parents, joined the Navy. He served honorably from '65 to '70, aboard the U.S.S. Hunley, homeported in Holy Loch, Scotland, where, to the shock of both of them, he discovered his older brother Steve also was assigned. Serendipity. Marty & Steve each married one of a pair of Scottish lasses who happened to be sisters. Those marriages were short lived.

Returning stateside, Marty established a family of four with his new bride, Cindy. Ever the reliable and devoted provider, he worked as a mechanic for both Standard Uniform and Phillips 66 (where he also drove a "wrecker"), then owned and operated a Getty Service Station. When corporate began turning it into a "mini mart", he ditched it. Later, he worked for the Auburn Road Agent, held a CDL and operated heavy equipment, and during winters would operate large plows, maintaining NH State Routes, often over Christmas. Subsequently, he had lengthy stints with other excavation contractors and environmental cleanup companies.

Meanwhile, Marty was a member of the Auburn Volunteer Fire Department for 18 years, much of that as Chief. Concurrently, he was a Deputy Warden for the State of NH Forest Fire Service and, as such, was a keyholder of the Waterworks Department gates around Lake Massabesic. As Fire Chief, he ushered in changes such as equipping the dept. with a fire-rescue ambulance & EMT crew and adding a second new fire station. His tenacious will was tempered by his gregarious and loyal nature. During his tenure, the department enjoyed a climate of community participation in off-duty working parties and frequent recreational outings that included firefighters' families.

Eventually, the ever-jovial Marty moved to Florida to escape the cold and help his aging mom. There, he worked at a railyard for over 20 years before retiring. He held memberships in the American Legion and VFW.

In later years he was often mistaken for Jeff Dunham's "Walter", and, although some might have described him as ornery and stubborn, he was actually a generous, and even chivalrous, man. Marty will be greatly missed by his son Keith Sullivan and his wife Jeanne, his granddaughter Ashley Reidy and her husband Jake, and great granddaughter, Parker as well as siblings Catherine, Tommy, and Susy and their families, other extended family members, and friends. He was predeceased by his parents, his siblings Frankie, Steve, and Judy, wife Cindy, and daughter Dawn.

Funeral services will be held at St. Clare Catholic Church, 2961 Day Rd., Deltona, FL on Friday, July 25th at 11am. Reception, including a light lunch, to follow at Kove Estates Clubhouse, 123 Kove Blvd, Osteen, FL.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105.