David Sullivan

Obituary

David Ward Sullivan, 78, died October 15, 2025 at his home in Rockville,
Maryland, after a brief bout with cancer. He was born March 3, 1947 in Norwich,
Connecticut. As a boy in an Air Force family he lived in Connecticut, New York,
England, Texas, and Virginia, where he graduated from Annandale High School
in 1965. He attended the Air Force Academy for one year and graduated from
George Mason University with a major in Business. Known as Smokey Dave, he
played baseball in high school and college and excelled as a pitcher and
outfielder, even being invited to a tryout for the Pittsburgh Pirates. He also played
college soccer using skills learned from playing with friends while in England for
four years.


While in college Dave began working at Sears, Roebuck and Co. and after
graduating with a business degree, Sears offered him a position in their
Leadership program. His career at Sears would span thirty years. Even as a
general manager of a store, he often walked the aisles and would stop to straighten a
display, fold a shirt, or pick up a piece of trash. He liked things neat and tidy!
After leaving Sears, he first worked a few years for Giant Food on the executive
level. Seeking another way to use his retail management skills, Dave shifted to
the non-profit world in the form of Goodwill of Greater Washington. He especially
found personal fulfillment in his role on the leadership team enabling Goodwill’s
many social programs. In particular, he applied his retail knowledge and business
savvy to enhance existing stores and to establish new stores he initiated. After
retiring from Goodwill, he became a member of the leadership team of Habitat for
Humanity Metro Maryland. In all these business endeavors Dave was respected
for his strong work ethic, his intelligence, and his dedication.


Dave’s first marriage was in 1971 to Marilyn Horton and they had two children,
Amy and Christine. In 1981 he married Diana Ford and they had three children,
Brett, Devin, and Amanda. With his family Dave loved going to the beach and
watching hometown sporting events, especially the Orioles and the Capitals. He
was an excellent golfer with four holes-in-one and he played in many tournaments,
including winning twice the father-son tournament. Whatever Dave focused on,
he did with great enthusiasm from daily completing crossword puzzles, playing
cards, gardening, and taking care of his fish. Friends and family will always
remember his great sense of humor, his stories, his grilling skills, his breaking out
in a song, his warm personality, and his awesome smile.


He is survived by his brother Woodruff Sullivan and sister Sally Comerford;
Diana Ford Sullivan, four children: Amy (Mark) Rodriguez, Brett (Kelly) Sullivan,
Devin (Katie) Sullivan and Amanda (Russell) Tischler; and nine grandchildren:
Anthony and Andrew Rodriguez; Grayson, Bowman, and Ford Sullivan;
Avery and Charlotte Sullivan; and Addison and Cal Tischler.


Celebration of Life for Dave Sullivan
November 5, 2025 4:00-7:00 PM
Bethesda Country Club
7601 Bradley Blvd.
Bethesda, MD 20817

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to:

Habitat for Humanity Metro Maryland
Build strength and stability by creating affordable homeownership opportunities.  
https://habitatmm.org/donate/donate.html

First Tee Greater Washington, DC
To introduce golf and its values to children and teens.  
https://firstteegreaterwashingtondc-bloom.kindful.com/?campaign=1385854

Make a Wish Mid-Atlantic
Grant life-changing wishes to children fighting critical illnesses.  
https://secure2.wish.org/site/TR/WishYourWay/Make-A-WishMid-Atlantic?pg=personal&px=3814226&fr_id=6656

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