Charles Bernard Sullivan

United States Air Force Major (Retired) Charles Bernard Sullivan of Hudson, New Hampshire died Friday, December 3 of Alzheimer's related causes at The Elizabeth House in Flat Rock, North Carolina. Major Sullivan was born on November 17, 1928 in Wilmington, Massachusetts. His early years were characterized by a love of model airplanes, ice hockey, automotive mechanics, and football. Sullivan earned All-State honors as an Offensive and Defensive End at Wilmington High School in 1947. He was drafted to serve in the Korean War in 1950, and he subsequently enlisted in the Air Force. Sullivan then had the opportunity to pursue his true calling as an Air Force aviator. He earned his wings as a rated pilot and his commission as a Second Lieutenant on the same day in 1954. Sullivan met the former Constance Tyrrell in Washington, DC shortly thereafter, and the couple was married in 1956. They raised six children as an inseparable team over the course of 54 years. The Sullivan family continued to travel with the Air Force, spending time in Panama City, Florida, Washington, DC, and Fairbanks, Alaska. Sullivan's career also included a year of duty in Vietnam in 1963. He accumulated over 4,000 hours of flight time in the Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star, his venerable ""T-Bird"". Sullivan ultimately earned his Command Pilot wings before retiring to Hudson in 1970. He then completed a second career with Nashua Corporation from 1970-1990, working as an engineer in the paper chemical processing plant and later as a security sentry. Sullivan was an avid skier and motorcycle rider for many years, and always enjoyed following his Red Sox, Bruins, and Patriots. He was a dedicated Roman Catholic throughout his life. Major Sullivan is survived by two daughters, Laura Larson of Asheville, North Carolina and Teresa Kelly of Fayetteville, Georgia; three sons, Charles, Jr. of Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan, Timothy of Derry, New Hampshire and William of Honolulu, Hawaii; a sister, Beatrice Barry of Wilmington; twelve grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins. His spirit and legacy will live on through them. He was preceded in death by his parents, Augustine and Miriam Sullivan, his sister Rita Doherty, his brother David, and earlier this year by his beloved son James and his wife and soul mate, Constance. A viewing will be held at Dellinger Funeral Home, Woodstock, Virginia, on Friday, December 10 from 4-6 pm. There will be a Funeral Mass at Old Post Chapel, Ft. Meyer, Virginia, and a Graveside Service at Arlington National Cemetery, Washington, DC at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations are made to the James A. Sullivan Scholarship Fund, Citizen's Bank, 71 Lowell Road, Hudson, New Hampshire 03051.

Charles Bernard Sullivan

December 7, 2010