John Sullivan

To watch the livestream service of John, please click on Tribute Wall then Live Webcast. The livestream will begin at 10:00 AM Central Time on Friday, December 3, 2021. John Frederick Sullivan, age 83, died November 29th at MercyOne Medical Center in Des Moines. He was born July 22nd, 1938, in Des Moines, Iowa to George C. and Mildred Field Sullivan. He was a life-long resident of the Des Moines area and lived in Urbandale Iowa from 1968 until 2021, recently moving with his wife Florita Sullivan to the Woodlands Creek Retirement Community in Clive. John met his wife Florita through his mother who organized the Filipino Exchange Student welcoming committee. John loved her from the day he met her and married Florita in 1959. They were married for 61 years. John was a proud graduate of East High Class of 1956. He served in the US Army from 1957-1959 in the 1st Armored Division working with missiles in the White Sands Dessert. John earned a BA from Drake University in 1966. He had several work careers starting with Look Magazine, his own business Sullivan Services, R&R Welding Supply, and United Airlines from which he retired. Working for United Airlines provided John and Florita the ability to travel around the world to over 25 countries. John loved to travel and meet new people and explore new cultures. He had many hobbies, he earned a pilot’s license when he was a young man, loved birdwatching and even owned a monkey named Booker! John was an avid runner and ran 3 Drake Marathon’s. He also participated in the very first Big Creek Triathlon and continued to do triathlons as well as run, bike, and swim well into his 70s. Volunteering was his passion, especially with his son’s activities and participated as a Boy Scouts leader going on many campouts with the boys across Iowa, working with Urbandale Boosters, and coached age group Urbandale Soccer. John was a generous person who cared deeply about people and instilled that in his sons. He loved to tell stories and reminisce about family and friends and the East side, East High, Cattell Elementary, and delivering papers among many other topics. John was preceded in death by his parents, George and Mildred Sullivan, his Brother George and sister-in-law Joan Sullivan and his son Patrick Sullivan. John is survived by his loving wife, Florita Tejada Sullivan, his two sons, Frederick Sullivan of Jersey City, New Jersey and his granddaughter Madeline Sullivan, Jeffrey Sullivan (Tammy Seidell) of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, and his granddaughters Katherine (Andrew Lu) and Mary Sullivan. Granddaughter Jacky Sullivan (Matt Donovan) of Boston, Massachusetts. Residing in Des Moines his nieces Janie (Jim) Wine, Mary (Todd) Obrien and nephews Tom (Molly) Sullivan, and Jack (Linda) Sullivan, Residing in California his brother-in-law Chito (Nelly) Peralta and nephews Bernadette Plaza, Jonathan Peralta, Geo Peralta, and Benedict Peralta. Brother-in-Law, Boni (Nenita) Peralta and niece Shelia Chavez and nephew Casey Peralta. Residing in the Philippines Brother-in-law Vic (Ester), Peralta Mark Peralta, Luis Peralta, Eda Peralta. Brother-in-Law Ernesto Peralta and nephew Edwin Peralta. Residing in New Zealand nephew Lawrence Peralta. Visitation will be on Thursday, December 02 from 4:00PM - 7:00PM at Caldwell Parrish Funeral Home & Crematory in Urbandale, Iowa. A Funeral Mass will be held Friday, December 03 at 10:00AM at St. Ambrose Cathedral in Des Moines.