Dr. Peter Sullivan

Dr. John (Peter) O'Neal Sullivan, 79, of Yuma, AZ, and Houston, TX, passed away on October 26, 2014, at St. Joseph's Hospital in Phoenix. Dr. Sullivan suffered an acute brain trauma from which he could not recover. He did not suffer and went peacefully. He was an organ donor in the hopes that someone else might benefit from his death.

Peter Sullivan was born September 21, 1935, in Nashville, Tennessee, and raised in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada. He completed his undergraduate studies at Kenyon College and received his B.S. in Chemistry at the University of Washington; he then received his medical training at McGill University, Montreal, Canada. Dr. Sullivan was a pioneer in the specialty of oncology and was a partner at the Diagnostic Clinic in Houston for 30 years. After a successful practice in a large city, he identified a real need for regional health care for patients and came to Yuma in 1996 to develop a local, regional oncology practice. His ultimate dream was to see a state-of-the-art cancer treatment center built, which became a reality when the Yuma Regional Cancer Center opened in July 2014.

He is remembered by patients and colleagues as a dedicated physician devoted to the health and well-being of the citizens of Yuma. He is remembered by his wife and children as a man who always placed first priority on his family. He is regarded by his grandchildren as the "best and most interesting grandpa a kid could ask for." Dr. Sullivan is survived by his wife Jean Roundy Sullivan and children Dixie De Luca of New York City, Mark Sullivan and Elizabeth Sullivan of Houston.

A memorial service for Dr. Sullivan will be held at St Paul's Episcopal Church, 1550 S. 14th Avenue, Yuma, on Thursday, October 30 at 5:30 pm, with a reception to follow. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Hospice of Yuma, 1824 S. 8th Ave., Yuma, AZ 85364.

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