| James B. Sullivan |
Saturday, July 11, 2009
James Bernard Sullivan Jr., 85, a structural engineer who was active in the Catholic archdiocese and a supervisor of
ushers at RFK Stadium for more than 30 years, died of cancer June 28 at his home in Bethesda.
Mr. Sullivan, who ran his own structural engineering firm for about 40 years, worked on renovations and new
construction at the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, the University of Alaska's medical research center and the
Montgomery County Rescue Squad and Bethesda fire station. He was an expert witness in structural engineering during
several trials.
The native Washingtonian often sneaked into the old Griffith Stadium when he was a boy until he was caught and put to
work as an usher, his family said. That incident led him to spend many years ushering at Griffith and later at RFK. He
was a season ticket holder for the Washington Redskins, missing only three games from 1947 to 2004 because of poor
health.
Mr. Sullivan, a graduate of St. John's College High School in the District, served in the Army Air Forces during World
War II as a radar and bombardier officer on a B-29 crew based in Guam. After the war, he returned to the Washington
area and graduated from Catholic University.
He worked for the consulting firm of Beall and Lemay and for 10 years as an associate with the George M. Ewing
architectural and engineering firm. In 1967, Mr. Sullivan opened his own firm, and from 1979 to 1985 he was director and
president of the Consulting Engineers Council of Metropolitan Washington, which named him Man of the Year in 1981.
He also was on the board of the National Capital Bank of Washington for 25 years.
At St. Jane Francis de Chantal Catholic Church in Bethesda, where Mr. Sullivan was a member for 51 years, he started a
Catholic Youth sports program and coached baseball and basketball. He and his wife served as Teen Club adult
advisers at the church, and he was also a member of the initial parish council, a member of the St. Vincent DePaul
Society and a Eucharistic minister.
Mr. Sullivan was a member of the Archdiocese Catholic Youth Board, serving as president and other posts. He and his
wife received the archdiocese's outstanding service award in 1966 for his work with youths. Mr. Sullivan was also a
member of the Archdiocese Building Commission.
For 56 years, he was a member of the Rock Creek Council of the Knights of Columbus.
Survivors include his wife of 61 years, Erna Sullivan of Bethesda; two children, James B. Sullivan III of Clarksville and
Catherine Sullivan D'Amour of Bethesda; six grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
-- Patricia Sullivan
James Bernard Sullivan Jr., 85, a structural engineer who was active in the Catholic archdiocese and a supervisor of
ushers at RFK Stadium for more than 30 years, died of cancer June 28 at his home in Bethesda.
Mr. Sullivan, who ran his own structural engineering firm for about 40 years, worked on renovations and new
construction at the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, the University of Alaska's medical research center and the
Montgomery County Rescue Squad and Bethesda fire station. He was an expert witness in structural engineering during
several trials.
The native Washingtonian often sneaked into the old Griffith Stadium when he was a boy until he was caught and put to
work as an usher, his family said. That incident led him to spend many years ushering at Griffith and later at RFK. He
was a season ticket holder for the Washington Redskins, missing only three games from 1947 to 2004 because of poor
health.
Mr. Sullivan, a graduate of St. John's College High School in the District, served in the Army Air Forces during World
War II as a radar and bombardier officer on a B-29 crew based in Guam. After the war, he returned to the Washington
area and graduated from Catholic University.
He worked for the consulting firm of Beall and Lemay and for 10 years as an associate with the George M. Ewing
architectural and engineering firm. In 1967, Mr. Sullivan opened his own firm, and from 1979 to 1985 he was director and
president of the Consulting Engineers Council of Metropolitan Washington, which named him Man of the Year in 1981.
He also was on the board of the National Capital Bank of Washington for 25 years.
At St. Jane Francis de Chantal Catholic Church in Bethesda, where Mr. Sullivan was a member for 51 years, he started a
Catholic Youth sports program and coached baseball and basketball. He and his wife served as Teen Club adult
advisers at the church, and he was also a member of the initial parish council, a member of the St. Vincent DePaul
Society and a Eucharistic minister.
Mr. Sullivan was a member of the Archdiocese Catholic Youth Board, serving as president and other posts. He and his
wife received the archdiocese's outstanding service award in 1966 for his work with youths. Mr. Sullivan was also a
member of the Archdiocese Building Commission.
For 56 years, he was a member of the Rock Creek Council of the Knights of Columbus.
Survivors include his wife of 61 years, Erna Sullivan of Bethesda; two children, James B. Sullivan III of Clarksville and
Catherine Sullivan D'Amour of Bethesda; six grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
-- Patricia Sullivan