Gene Sullivan

E. Eugene Gene Sullivan, longtime resident of Ponca City, passed away on Friday, March 20, 2009 at St. Francis Hospital in Wichita. He was 86. Gene was born the son of John Woody Sullivan and Mariah Adeline Baker Sullivan on June 3, 1922 in Darwin, Oklahoma. He grew up in Darwin and attended high school in Atoka until he enlisted in the United States Army on November 21, 1942. Gene landed in Normandy 6 days after D-Day and participated in the Battles, Normandy, Northern France, the Ardennes and Rhineland. Gene was awarded the Purple Heart in the Ardennes, the Battle of the Bulge and received the European Campaign Medal with 4 Bronze Stars as well as the Good Conduct Medal. Gene proudly served his country during WWII until his honorable discharge in 1945. His grandsons will have the honor of presenting the flag. Gene married Irene Layne on November 8, 1945 at Oil Center Church just outside of Ada, Oklahoma and to this union, two children were born. In 1956, the couple moved to Ponca City, Oklahoma where Gene was a professional truck driver. He started driving trucks in 1956 and during his 30 year career he logged over 1.5 million miles. Gene drove many types of tanks: LPG, anhydrous ammonia, casinghead and refined. He started driving in 1970 for contractors Ike and Marlin Glass of Newkirk, Oklahoma. Gene was honored as Oklahoma Driver of the Month in 1971 and then selected for April 1984 Driver of the Month by the Kansas Motor Carriers Association. Throughout his whole career, he was involved in only one accident which was determined to be non-preventable. He joined the elite club of Million Milers by driving one million accumulative miles without a chargeable accident. Gene loved camping, fishing and playing the guitar and harmonica. He also enjoyed working word puzzles, picking pecans and walking at Wal-Mart. Gene was a lifelong member of the Disabled American Veterans and former member of the American Legion. He was also a member of Sunset Baptist Church since 1980. He loved spending time with his family, especially his grandchildren. He was a loving husband, father and grandfather whose priorities were God, wife and family and he will be missed. He is survived by his loving wife, Irene of 63 years; children, Regena Lewis and husband, Robert of Ponca City, Oklahoma and Dean Sullivan and wife, Cynthia of Buena Vista, Colorado; sisters, Marie Powell of Joplin, Missouri and June Johnson of Seminole, Oklahoma; grandchildren, John Sullivan and wife, Michelle, Jeremy Sullivan and wife, Kelley, Billy Struble, Amy Sullivan and Teara Lewis; great grandchildren, Brandon Arnold, Amanda Sullivan, Hannah Sullivan, Isabel Sullivan, Hayden Sullivan and Fade Lewis; sister in laws, Elderene Arnold of Ulyss, Texas, Anabelle Layne of South Carolina and Minnie Layne of Rock Port, Texas; as well as numerous nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents; sisters, Lola Brown, Mable Vickery, Ina Kilgore, Edna Sullivan, Elva Powell and Jewell Boydston; and brothers, Earl Sullivan and J.W. Sullivan. Casket bearers for the service will be Bill Finley, Brad Finley, David Powell, Michael Arnold, Rodney Arnold and Ricky Arnold. Honorary casket bearers are his grandchildren, John Sullivan, Jeremy Sullivan, Billy Struble, Amy Sullivan, Teara Lewis and Brandon Arnold. The funeral service will be held at 2:00 p.m., Wednesday, March 25, 2009 at Sunset Baptist Church with Reverend Dr. Daniel Clark officiating. Interment will follow at Resthaven Memorial Park Cemetery under the direction of Grace Memorial Chapel. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made in Genes honor to the Amen Class of Sunset Baptist Church, 915 Greenwood, Ponca City, Oklahoma 74601.