SOUTH PARIS — Van Earl Sullivan, 69, passed away Aug. 9 following a brave battle with lung cancer. He was born Aug. 11, 1948, in Salem, Oregon. Although he lived in several places while growing up, he was a current resident of Stoneham.

Van graduated from Killeen High School, Killeen, Texas, in 1966. He joined the Navy in 1968 and had the opportunity to travel and be stationed in several different areas including the Azores, Portugal and Keflavik, Iceland, ultimately retiring while being stationed at Brunswick NAS, Maine. He attended the University of Southern Maine achieving a master’s degree in business administration in 1986. He then went on to work for the state of Maine Bureau of Insurance, retiring from there in 2009.

Van was an active member of the Masonic Webster Lodge No.164 in Wales for many years, last serving as master from 2000-02. After retiring, Van pursued his passions and hobbies, and volunteered as a driver for Stoneham Rescue.

Van loved to fish and had several fishing buddies with whom he enjoyed spending hours on the lake. Other hobbies of Van’s included traveling, heading West for a coast-to-coast trip with his wife in their RV, ultimately becoming snowbirds settling in Florida for a few winters making new friends and enjoying their retirement years. Van also spent many hours snowmobiling and grooming for his local club, Stoneham Knight Riders. He enjoyed having cribbage tournaments with his family, even right up to the end. Many memories were made around the cribbage board.

He will be lovingly remembered and sadly missed by his wife of 48 years, Regina Littlefield Sullivan, his daughter, Sherry Madore and her husband, Scott Madore, one grandson, Zachary Madore, his mother and stepfather, Winifred and Leland Glenn, his stepbrother, Howard Glenn, sister Jorja Diane Tutwiler, several aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews and grandnieces and grandnephews. He was predeceased by his father, Donald Heath Sullivan.

Van’s family would like to sincerely thank all those who helped him fight this battle at Dana Farber Cancer Institute, New England Cancer Specialists in Scarborough, Androscoggin Home Care & Hospice, Maine Veterans’ Home in South Paris and his family and many friends from near and far.

“Fair winds and a following sea”

Van Earl Sullivan