Harvey J. (Joe) Sullivan was born to Charles F. and Minnie Pearl (Morrow) Sullivan on January 12, 1933, on a farm southeast of Putnam, OK and passed away Saturday, August 13, 2022, at home in Weatherford having reached the age of 89 years, 7 months, 1 day.

Joe lived there nine years, starting first grade at the Independence Consolidated Country School. During World War II, when Joe was in the third grade, his family relocated northeast of Putnam where Joe attended a country school called "Soddy" through the eighth grade. Later his family moved southwest of Putnam where Joe graduated as Valedictorian from Putnam High School in 1951.

Joe attended Oklahoma A&M, (now known as Oklahoma State University) in Stillwater for a year and a half. In 1953, Joe volunteered for the U.S. Army and was stationed in Arkansas, North Carolina, Alabama, and South Korea. Following an honorable discharge, he re-enrolled at Oklahoma A&M University. Shortly thereafter, Joe received a call from the Administrator at Southwestern State College, (now known as Southwestern Oklahoma State University) at Weatherford, OK, inviting him play his favorite sport – basketball. Joe accepted the offer and graduated in 1958 with a double major in Physics and Mathematics.

One day before graduation, Joe's basketball buddy, Orin Patton and he were in the Student Union when a very attractive coed walked up to speak with Orin. He introduced her to Joe as Lois Crowder, a high school classmate and graduate of Custer City, OK School. She was there for freshman orientation and Orin and Joe were observing and enjoying the freshman confusion. Later that night Orin and Joe saw Lois again. Joe, smitten with her good looks and wonderful personality invited her to a dance at the Student Union ballroom. She accepted, but when Joe tried to introduce her to some of his basketball friends, he could not remember her name. Embarrassed, Joe had to ask her name in front of all of his basketball buddies. Well, that broke the ice, and after a short romance - Lois and Joe were married at Independence Church on January 18, 1957.

Joe went to work for Phillips Petroleum Company, (PPCO) in Borger TX in 1959 in the Spectroscopic Lab. Within a year he accepted a promotion in the lab that did not include shift work. This was especially beneficial because there were now two new Sullivans in the household: Gregory Joe and Kimberly Dawn. And in the next few years, the family was complete with the addition of Angela Renee and Douglas Grant.

Joe held many different positions with PPCO that occasionally required him and his family to relocate. His first transfer was to the Avon Refinery in Martinez, CA in1968 where he was responsible for teaching and upgrading the capabilities of the Hourly Maintenance Group. After this teaching position, Joe became the Electrical and Instrumentation Superintendent for said Group.

In 1976, Joe and his family moved back to Borger, TX with another promotion. His position entailed assembling a group to purchase and maintain all of the computers in the Refinery and Natural Gas Plant for the automated control of many units.

With his specialization in electrical and instrumentation fields, Joe was offered a promotion to transfer to Phillips headquarters in Bartlesville, OK .In 1980, Joe became a consultant for all the refining and chemical plants across the United States. Joe also spent time in Stavanger, Norway doing safety audits on offshore structures and operations.

In 1987 Joe was offered a transfer back to Borger, TX to head up a group called "Authority of Expenditures" (AFE). This position consisted of managing engineers in specialty fields, such as mechanical, civil, electrical, etc.

Joe had an opportunity to retire early from PPCO after 34 years with the company. He retired at age 60 and moved back to Weatherford, OK in 1993 to raise cattle on Lois' family ranch near Thomas, OK. What a change! While in Weatherford, Joe became a member of the First Baptist Church and was one of the very first groups at that church to be re-baptized at Crowder Lake.

Joe was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Lois, his father, Charles, and his mother, Minnie Pearl. He was also preceded in death by three brothers and six sisters and was the last living member of his family.

Joe is survived by his four children and their spouses, Gregory and Cynthia Sullivan, of Parker, CO; Kimberly and Mike Whittenberg, of Midland, TX; Angela and Bobby Hynes of Conroe, TX; and Douglas and Stephanie Sullivan of Amarillo, TX. Joe is also survived by many grandchildren, great grandchildren, cousins, nieces and nephews.

Joe leaves behind many friends that he hopes one day to see again in Heaven.

In lieu of flowers, you can make a donation to Joe's favorite charity which is SWOSU Foundation, Inc., Weatherford, OK or the First Baptist Church in Weatherford.

Special thanks to Thelma Dye, who has been a wonderful friend to Joe through the years, and to his good neighbor Jim Loomis, along with many others who touched his life in so many ways.