Donnell Robert Sullivan's Obituary
Donnell Robert Sullivan was born in Detroit Michigan on June 16, 1930 and graduated to the kingdom of Christ on November 25, 2011.Raised with loving parents, two brothers (Larry and Tommy) and a sister (Patty), Donnell excelled in music and mechanics. He built his first car, a hot rod, by hand and was known for drag racing all comers on Telegraph road. His teen years were spent in the heyday of Dearborn’s ascendance as the center of the Ford Motor Company’s successful, world-wide reshaping of manufacturing and industry.He was a graduate of the Edison Institute overseen by Henry Ford and his wife, Clara and started the school’s first big band orchestra. After receiving his diploma from Clara Ford he went to Albion College where he achieved his bachelor’s degree and went on to become an engineer at the Ford Motor Company. Shortly thereafter he migrated into the boating and marine industry.His father was an engineer for Ford and the head of Special Vehicle Operations for that company. Donnell and his brothers grew up steeped in the grit and excitement of power plant mechanics. Donnell’s dad was the chief engineer of the original design team for the 1932 mono-block V8, so discussion of the latest in power plant mechanics was standard dinner table conversation.Donnell found his first love, boats, while building a race boat, modeled on a popular Chris Craft at the time, with his brothers, and racing it officially and unofficially on the Detroit River in the late 40’s and 50’s. Boats and boating became a lifelong passion as he owned and operated numerous kinds of boats and yachts throughout his entire adult life.He met the love of his life, Marilyn, in 1955, and after their wedding in 1957 in Trenton Michigan, they cruised a wooden trawler through the great lakes, the Erie Canal, Hudson River and down the intra-coastal waterway to Miami. They lived on this vessel in Miami city Yacht Basin for two years. During this time Donnell sold marine engines for Dearborn Marine while Marilyn worked as a nurse at Mercy Hospital.Their love affair with each other was evenly matched with their love affair with water and boats. Their time living on Biscayne Bay was one of the finest of their lives despite the fact that Donnell lost a significant portion of his hearing after contracting Asian flu in 1957. Turning to new, electronic hearing aids to compensate for his hearing loss Donnell decided to change careers and sell hearing aids and became a passionate advocate for their ability to help others in situations similar to his. He became a successful salesman, dealer and advanced steadily in the hearing aid industry until finally being promoted to National Sales Manager for Dahlberg Electronics. Throughout his life Donnell was a patriotic American committed to the American dream and the hard work that he believed made attainment of that dream possible for anyone. He founded a company that owned and operated restaurants and mobile home parks in Ohio and Florida. After leaving Dahlberg in the 1970’s he focused on these entrepreneurial ventures for the rest of his life.Along the way Donnell and Marilyn became dedicated Christians and committed countless hours to volunteering in causes that provided real help to real people in need. They were members for 25 years at the First Baptist Church of Leesburg where in their retirement they both volunteered at the church’s Benevolent Center and Community Medical Care Center. Donnell also played the clarinet for 25 years in the church’s orchestra. He was a lifetime member of the United States Power Squadron (power boating organization), the Coast Guard Auxiliary and boat clubs from Michigan to Florida. He has gone to be with his Savior, Jesus Christ, mother, father and little brother, who all preceded him crossing the bar and into the presence of the Lord. He is survived by his loving wife, Marilyn, sons Donnell and wife Dena; Brian and his wife Belinda; and grandchildren, Safa, Donnelle, Katherine and Sara.Marilyn Sullivan would like to especially thank all of her dear friends at the First Baptist Churches in Tavares and Leesburg, the Alzheimer’s support group and the caring staff at Snug Harbor, Somerset in Tavares. She also wants to thank the dedicated care team at Cornerstone Hospice: Kelly, Linda, Lea, Christian, Kathleen, Jessie, Peter and Diane. The care provided by these organizations, for Donnell, during his long struggle with Alzheimers, Pancreatic cancer and Pneumonia was compassionate and exceptional. Marilyn would like to especially thank Beth, owner of Somerset, for doing everything possible to make Donnell and his family comfortable during his final days.The family received friends at the First Baptist Church of Tavares on Monday, November 28, 2011 from 12:00PM until 2:00 PM. A Celebration of Life followed at 2:00 PM. Interment took place at Ft. Myers Memorial Gardens, Ft. Myers, FL. Arrangements were entrusted to Steverson, Hamlin & Hilbish Funerals and Cremations, 226 E. Burleigh Blvd., Tavares, FL 32778.
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