In Memoriam: Edmund Francis Sullivan

Middlebury notes the death of retiree Edmund Francis “Ed” Sullivan, 70. Sullivan died Friday, Feb. 26, 2016, at his home in Ripton.

Prior to moving to VT to work at the College Sullivan had a successful career as a health and safety professional in Massachusetts and served on the Board of Directors for the Massachusetts Safety Council. He joined Middlebury in May of 1995 when he was hired as Safety Officer. In March of 2002, Sullivan was promoted to the new role of Environmental Health and Safety Coordinator, the position he held until his retirement in May of 2013. Even throughout his retirement Sullivan continued to assist the College as a First Aid and CPR instructor and taught a class as recently as this January.

Tom Corbin, Assistant Treasurer and DBS, remembers that, “Ed truly enjoyed working with students, providing first aid and CPR training, arranging slots at local rescue squads, creating the Middlebury Student EMT group (now part of MREMS), providing driving classes, and hosting international students.” Erin Kilpeck, Lead Human Resources Information Coordinator, commented that any employee who went through New Employee Orientation during Ed’s tenure knew him best for being “passionate about his safety training.”

Kilpeck also recalled that Sullivan “founded the Middlebury College ERT and taught countless First aid and CPR classes to staff and faculty, as well as all the J-Term Emergency Medical Responder classes.” She said that Sullivan became an EMT because he wanted to help, and to give back to the community that he felt had always supported him. Kilpeck said that Sullivan believed that everyone in the world should be trained in CPR; if everyone knew it lives would be saved. Erin shared, in closing, that Ed was one of the kindest people she knew and that he liked everyone he met.

Calling hours will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 1, at the Sanderson-Ducharme Funeral Home, 117 South Main St., Middlebury. The funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Wednesday, March 2, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Middlebury.