Thomas Denis Sullivan

Thomas Denis Sullivan, 88, of Fuquay Varina, passed away at home on Sunday, June 13, 2021. He was surrounded by his daughters and held his wife’s hand as he drew his last breath. Tom is survived by his loving and devoted wife of 67 years, Theresa Sullivan. Theirs was love at first sight, with Tom suggesting to Theresa on their first date in 1952 that he believed they would marry. Over the course of their marriage, Tom and Theresa had seven children: Deb Bonné, Lynn Sullivan (Rob Goldfinger), Kevin Sullivan (Marie), Diane Holmes (Steve Jones), Danny Sullivan (Michelle), Kathleen Sullivan (Debra Mangum) and Maureen Ptasinski (Dave Ptasinski). Tom also had 18 grandchildren: Daniel Bonné, Lea Falk (Mike), Jackie Sobel (Kevin), Jason Goldfinger (Caroline), Zach Sullivan (Michelle), Joanna Nash (Joe), Tessa Cholewa (Nate), Katie Smith (Bill), Matt Leidecker (Bryanna), Timmy Leidecker (Autumn), Jessica McIntyre (Joey), Josh Sullivan (Ali), Ben, Jamie and Justin Sullivan, Paige Agruda (Jake), Allie Hinger (Alex) and Michael Ptasinski. In addition, Tom had 10 great-grandchildren and was anticipating meeting four more, due to arrive between August and October, 2021. Tom was also a beloved uncle to dozens of nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Thomas and Agnes Sullivan, and his sister, Jeanne Perrine. Tom grew up in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn and delighted in cheering on the Brooklyn Dodgers during his youth. Although he was proud of his Irish heritage, he was a deeply patriotic American. Tom joined the Merchant Marine in his mid-teens and became a Quartermaster/Signalman in the US Navy during the Korean Conflict. After leaving the Navy, Tom worked in construction before joining the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), Local 25, based on Long Island, NY. He enjoyed sports and was a natural athlete throughout his life. Tom played golf into his 80s, but as in all he did, he constantly sought to perfect his game. He was particularly fond of hockey and became a hockey referee for recreational, high school and college leagues on Long Island when he was in his 40s. He later hung up his skates, moving from NY to FL before settling in North Carolina, where he became a loyal fan of the Carolina Hurricanes. Tom was a perfectionist, and one of his favorite quotes was, “Perfection is made up of trifles, but perfection is no trifle.” He was a man who loved to laugh and who adored his wife and his family with his whole heart. Tom was also a hobbyist woodworker and left behind many of his creations for his family to enjoy. There is no visitation scheduled; the family is planning a memorial service, which will be held on June 27 at 3 p.m. at Bryan-Lee Funeral Home, 831 Wake Forest Road, Raleigh. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Parkinson’s Foundation (parkinson.org). Arrangements are by Bryan-Lee Funeral Home of Raleigh. Online condolences may be made at www.bryan-leefuneralhome.com