Joseph A. Sullivan

PEPPERELL, MA - Joseph A. Sullivan, age 86, a longtime resident of Pepperell,MA died Wednesday, September 22, 2010 surrounded by his loving family at Fairview Healthcare in Hudson, NH after an extended illness.
He was born March 23, 1924 in Pepperell, MA a son of the late Humphrey and Gertrude (Smith) Sullivan. He was educated in the Pepperell School System, and was a graduate of Pepperell High School Class of 1942. Mr. Sullivan served in the U.S. Army during WWII attaining the rank of Private First Class. In his earlier years, he was employed at A&P Grocery Store in Pepperell, MA for several years, St. Regis Paper Co. in Pepperell, MA until 1953, and also as a custodian for the Groton Street School in Pepperell, MA. Prior to his retirement in 1979, he was employed as a rural carrier at the East Pepperell Post Office for 28 years. Mr. Sullivan wrote the sports column for the Free Press Newspaper (now known as Nashoba Publications) for about 30 years starting in 1965. He served on the School Board at North Middlesex Regional High School in Townsend for eighteen years where he served as Chairman for the last five years. In his earlier years, he was an avid baseball and basketball player, and later in life he enjoyed golfing and loved to fly to Ireland. Mr. Sullivan was a communicant of St. Joseph Church in Pepperell, MA.

He is survived by three sons, Terence Sullivan and his wife Regina of Merrimack, NH, Paul Sullivan and his wife Nanette of Texas, and Sean Sullivan and his wife Liz of Pepperell, MA, four daughters, Jane Colavito and her husband Michael of Hollis, NH, Kelly Sullivan and her husband Peter of Ohio, Elizabeth McQueen and her husband David of Sandwich, MA and Rebecca Durkan and her husband Liam of Worcester, MA, a brother, John Sullivan of Nashua, NH, a sister, Cecelia Sullivan of Pepperell, twenty-two grandchildren, and several great grandchildren, nieces and nephews. He was pre-deceased by two brothers, Paul Sullivan and Robert Sullivan and two sisters, Gertrude Marr and Patricia Rockwell.

Visiting hours at the MARCHAND FUNERAL HOME, 16 Pleasant Street, Pepperell on Friday from 4 to 8 p.m. A funeral Mass will be offered on Saturday, September 25, 2010 at 10:00 a.m. at Our Lady of Grace Church worshipping at St. Joseph Church, 28 Tarbell St., Pepperell, MA. Burial at St. Joseph Cemetery, Pepperell. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Fairview Healthcare, 203 Lowell Rd., Hudson, NH 03051. Funeral Director, NORMAND E. MARCHAND. For directions and on-line condolences, please visit www.marchandfuneralhome.com