Obituary: Sullivan, David Eugene Md
Dr. Sullivan was 99 years old.
Dr. Sullivan was born on August 5, 1914 in Billings, MT.
He grew up in Portland, OR where he attended Columbia Preparatory and graduated from the University of Portland.
Dr. Sullivan graduated from Oregon Health Sciences University where he met and married Alice Elvena Schaefer who graduated from the University of Oregon Nursing School and Public Health Program.
They celebrated 73 years together this past June.
Dr. Sullivan served in the US Navy from 1941 to 1946 as a flight surgeon.
He initially served on the carrier USS Card in the Atlantic.
The Card was assigned to destroy U-Boats and was awarded a Presidential Unit Citation for destroying more than any other ship.
Dr. Sullivan later served as Senior Medical officer on the USS Saratoga in the Pacific.
In addition to the World War II Victory Medal, he was awarded all three theater medals: American, European-African-Middle Eastern and Asiatic-Pacific.
He would complete his medical training after WW II by doing residency training in plastic and reconstructive surgery at the University of Kansas, McGill University in Montreal and Washington University in St. Louis.
Dr. Sullivan was the first Board Certified Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon to practice in Spokane.
He did most of his work at St. Luke’s Memorial Hospital and closed his own office in 1979 after 30 years.
He performed surgery until his late 70’s focusing primarily on patients at the Veteran’s Hospital and Shriner’s Children’s Hospital.
He also quietly volunteered time for the House of Charity Clinic for a number of years.
Dr. Sullivan was one of the surgeons who developed the modern surgical techniques for repairing cleft palates in children and taught other surgeons around the world how to perform the procedure.
Of all his accomplishments during his life, he said he was most proud of the cleft lips and palates he repaired.
Dr. Sullivan was a member of many national, state and local professional societies.
He had many articles published in medical journals.
He was also a member of Alpha Omega Alpha, the national medical honorary fraternity.
The American society of Plastic Surgery honored him by electing him an officer and later a trustee.
Dr. Sullivan enjoyed traveling and visited many countries during his life.
He played volleyball, liked to swim, fish, golf, watch classic movies, play cribbage and was a master at crossword puzzles.
He also found amusement watching the quail that lived close by.
He always looked forward to visits with his grandchildren and tried not to let a day go by without a bowl of ice cream.
In addition to his wife Elvena, Dr. Sullivan is survived by his children; Thomas Sullivan (Sally), Daniel Sullivan, Michael Sullivan (Venny), Timothy Sullivan (Bonnie), Kathleen Teegarden (Chuck), David Sullivan and Mary Sullivan (Alex Atacador).
Other survivors include: sisters, Mary Schiffbaurer of Portland, and Helen Reed of Spokane; ten grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
His Funeral Mass will be Friday, October 11, 2013 11:00 AM at Our Lady of Fatima Church, 1517 East 33rd Ave, Spokane, WA 99203.
Lunch will be served at the church following mass.
Entombment with Military Honors will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery at 3:00 PM.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that friends donate to Shriner’s Children Hospital or Hospice of Spokane.