Ian Sullivan, 48, passed away on April 21, 2022 at his home in Willimantic, CT after battling a rare form of cancer. He was born March 1, 1974 to Harry George and Judith (Beeson) Sullivan in Okinawa, Japan while his father was stationed there serving in the United States Air Force.
He was a loving father to his 9 year old son, Nolan. They built LEGO sets, played video games, and worked together on the family’s 1951 Chevy Deluxe that had been in the family since Ian’s father bought it. He was a loving husband to his wife of 12 years, Paula (Farley) Sullivan. He was endlessly loving, patient, encouraging, and he always listened to what people had to say. He accepted you for who you were. Ian always knew the right thing to say, he was gregarious, and people were drawn to him. In the course of one cigarette break he made new friends wherever he went, which is how long it took his wife to fall in love with him.
Ian served for 9 and a half years as a Nuclear Field Machinist Mate on submarines, where he learned his selfless, tireless devotion to his career, which he carried into his second career as a nuclear chemist at Millstone Nuclear Power Plant in Niantic, after earning his bachelor’s degree in Environmental Earth Science from Eastern Connecticut State University. He loved playing golf, traveling, working on his ’51 Chevy, watching terrible movies, cooking, and hosting company. Ian was the ultimate host and loved serving friends & family with his expertly prepared food and beverages (even served lobster cooked over a campfire on one group camping trip!). Visitors to his home were treated like honored guests. Ian loved to make people feel right at home and was devoted to his friends and family. He loved nothing more than to help his loved ones, and he was the one to call if someone needed help moving, building an entertainment center, or needed to borrow tools, and he loved doing home projects with his best friends. Ian could get along with anyone and made everyone laugh, was generous with his time & money, and everyone he met loved him. Ian’s people were always the best people.
He was predeceased by his father Harry George Sullivan. Ian is survived by his son Nolan; wife Paula; mother Judith (Beeson) Sullivan; uncle, Tim Beeson; brother Michael Sullivan and his wife Stephanie, and their children Alex and Katelynn; sister Heather (Sullivan) Brutz and her husband John, and their sons Sullivan & Sam.
Ian’s family will receive friends and loved ones on Friday, April 29, 2022 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Potter Funeral Home, 456 Jackson Street, Willimantic, CT. His Funeral Mass will be celebrated Saturday, April 30, 2022 at 10:00 AM at St. Joseph Church, 99 Jackson Street, Willimantic. Assembly will be at church. Graveside service to follow at St. Joseph Cemetery on Club Road in Windham. In lieu of flowers, please donate to Eastern Connecticut State University, where he and Paula met and fell in love. To leave a message of condolence and sign the online guestbook please visit www.potterfuneralhome.com
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