Rev. Clifford W. Sullivan, 84, of Rome, N.Y., died Tuesday, May 10, 2005, in Rome Memorial Hospital after a long illness.
    He was born on Dec. 15, 1920 in Kankakee, Ill., the son of Owen and Agnes Chalifaux Sullivan.  He was raised by his grandmother, Laura Walker.
    Rev. Sullivan was a graduate of Goreville High School and Southern Illinois University.  He did his graduate studies at Candler School of Theology becoming a fully ordained Elder in the United Methodist Church and served as pastor of churches in the Southern Illinois Conference.  In 1957 he transferred to the N.N.Y. Conference where he pastured for 10 years.  In 1966 he received certification as mental health chaplain from the psychiatric center in Binghamton, N.Y.  He received his doctorate in theology in 1981 from Trinity College, Newburgh, Ind.  He served as an institutional Chaplain and religion coordinator and consultant at the Rome State School and Rome Development Center for 30 years retiring 1991.
    He married Myra June Mescher in 1940 in Missouri and later married Barbara Trew on March 5, 1971 in Doylestown, Penn.
    Rev. Sullivan was a veteran of the United States Army serving during World War II in the Pacific Theatre.  He served as a chaplain with combat forces in China, Burma and India.
    Surviving besides his wife are two daughters and a son-in-law, Sheila and Jeffrey Schuman and Debra Sullivan; two step-children, Valerie Semeran and Steven Gala; two sisters, Jean Pedratti and Delores McKenon; 11 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren.
    He was preceded in death by a daughter Meredith Truman and two brothers, William and Robert Sullivan.
    Funeral services were held at the First United Methodist Church Saturday at 1 p.m.  Interment was in Stockbridge Cemetery.
    Memorials can be made to ARC in Rev. Sullivan's memory.

Goreville Gazette
18 May 2005