Edgar David Sullivan

Edgar David Sullivan passed away Aug. 15, 2015 in Paauilo, Hawaii at the age of 86 after a long courageous battle with Parkinson's disease. He was a longtime missionary to Japan and pastored in Hawaii and Arkansas before moving back to Hawaii in 2011. He was preceded in death by his parents Frank and Velma Sullivan, his brother Don Sullivan and sister Carolyn Andrysco; and son-in-law George Gonzalez. He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Neva Joyce (Nixon); his four children, son David of Paauilo, Hawaii; daughter Ruth Chandler of Colorado Springs, Colo. (husband Greg); daughter Mary Souza of Paauilo, Hawaii (husband Shawn); and daughter Sharon Gonzalez of Lihue, Hawaii. He has six grandchildren: Jayce, Heather and Sean (David); Jennifer and Timothy (Ruth); Joshua (Mary), and 10 great-grandchildren. He was born Sept. 1, 1928 in Detroit, Mich. He graduated from high school in 1946 in Mabelvale, Ark. At the age of 21 he accepted Christ as his Savior and received the call to ministry that same year. He attended Missionary Baptist Seminary in Little Rock, Ark. from 1949-1953. He did further studies under Buell Kazee in Kentucky before accepting the pastorate of Antioch Missionary Baptist Church in Greencastle, Ind. in 1953. It was there that he married Neva on May 27, 1955. He was called as a missionary to Japan in 1960 and after preparation arrived in Japan in February 1962. He did missionary work in the Noborito, Tachikawa, Yokohama and Tokorozawa areas until 1973. He learned to speak fluent Japanese on the mission field. The family moved to Okinawa to continue missionary work in 1973. He ministered in Okinawa until 1988 when he became ill and returned to the states to Arkansas for surgery. After a full recovery he accepted the pastorate of the Garden Isle Missionary Baptist Church, Kilauea, on the island of Kauai. He pastored there until 1999 when he returned to Arkansas. He ministered at Judsonia Missionary Baptist Church until 2011 when he moved back to Hawaii to the Big Island to live with daughter Mary and her family. He resided there until his passing. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the missions fund of your local church. Services for Brother Sullivan will be held August 2h at Kaneohe Missionary Baptist Church, 45-131B Waikapoki Rd, Kaneohe, Hawaii 96744. Visitation will be at 10 a.m. and a Celebration of Life Service at 11 a.m.