Obituary: Raymond L. Sullivan Jr.

The following obituary is from Gately Funeral Home in Melrose:

Raymond L. Sullivan Jr. of East Boston died October 6, 2012 surrounded by family. He was the devoted husband of Karen (Nelson) Sullivan of East Boston and the loving father of Cheryl A. Sullivan of East Boston and Pamela Adkins and her husband Greg of Brookline.

He is survived by two sisters, Mary Jane Sullivan and her husband Robert Hart of Australia, Joan Lee and her husband Harold of Florida and one brother, the late William Sullivan. He is also survived by his sister-in-law Dianne Tringali and her husband Robert of Medford, several nieces, nephews and longtime friends. "Pa" loved nothing more than spending time with his two grandchildren, Samuel R. Sullivan and Audrey Adkins.

Ray grew up in Melrose, raised his family in Wakefield, and moved to Boston after retiring. He spent 25 years working at General Electric in Lynn and 10 years at Minuteman Controls in Wakefield. Ray was an avid fan of all Boston sports teams, especially the Red Sox, and enjoyed attending sporting events with his family. He coached many youth sports teams in Wakefield, including soccer, little league and basketball. He served in the United States National Guard during Vietnam and was a member of the Knights of Columbus.
Throughout his life, Ray was able to make everyone he met laugh. His upbeat demeanor and sense of humor sustained him and comforted his family and friends as he courageously battled a lengthy illness. His smile and laugh will be remembered and missed forever.

In celebration of Ray's life, relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend a funeral service at the Gately Funeral Home, 79 West Foster Street, Melrose, MA, on Thursday, October 11, 2012 at 10am. Visiting hours are on Wednesday from 5-8pm. Burial will be private. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Ray's name to Beacon Hospice, 529 Main St., Ste. 126, Charlestown, MA 02128 or the Diabetes Foundation, 10 Speen St, Framingham, MA 01701.