Raymond Dean Sullivan

Raymond Dean Sullivan, age 73, of New Philadelphia, passed away peacefully early Wednesday morning, December 7, 2011, in his home. Born at Dover, May 24, 1938, he was a son of the late Roy and Mildred Hines Sullivan. Best known as “Sully” to his family and friends, he was the owner and operator of Ray’s Towing, a business in which he dedicated himself to working the long, unusual hours that came with the territory of operating his own towing company. Before beginning his own towing business, Ray worked alongside others in the automotive repair industry, including the service centers at Parkway, Humphries, Brightwood Motors and the former Weaver Motor Company. All told, Ray had devoted more than fifty years of service to the community. On August 1, 1964, Ray married Sandra K. Beamer in the First Church of the Brethren. They went on to celebrate their forty-seventh wedding anniversary together prior to her death on August 11th of this year. Ray and Sandy were proud of their family that included their three children, two daughters; Kimberly (fiancé, Robert Armstrong) Sullivan and Tamara (husband, Robert) Lomax all of New Philadelphia; and a son, Michael (wife, Kelley) Sullivan of Brightwood.Five grandchildren, Dean Jarvis, Elizabeth Jarvis, Tom Lomax, Ben Lomax all of New Philadelphia and Drew Sullivan of Brightwood also survive. Two brothers, John (wife, Shirley) Sullivan of Wainwright and Franklin Sullivan of Dover, as well as his nieces and nephews complete the family. In addition to his parents and wife, Ray is also preceded in death by two brothers, Walter and William Sullivan, his niece Kathy Meese, his father-in-law, Leonard Beamer; mother-in-law Lucille Linard, and his step-father-in-law, Noble Linard. Priest Rebecca Lawrence and Elder Robert Lawrence will lead Ray’s funeral service Saturday morning at 11:30 in the Geib Funeral Center at Dover, where the family will receive friends for one hour prior to the service. Burial, alongside his wife, will follow in Evergreen Burial Park at New Philadelphia. Family and friends will return to the Geib Funeral Center for a luncheon reception following the committal service. Those unable to attend may send the family personal condolences by signing the online guest registry located on the funeral home’s website.In gratitude for the exemplary care of both their father and mother this year, the Sullivan family requests that memorial contributions be made to Community Hospice of Tuscarawas County, 201 W Third Street, Dover, Ohio 44622.