Frederick Lee Sullivan

FREDERICK LEE SULLIVAN

Frederick Lee Sullivan, 77, died on Tuesday, August 11, 2026 at Eskenazi Hospital in Indianapolis, IN, with his wife and daughters by his side. He was born on January 15, 1949, in Bedford, IN, to the late Donald Sullivan and Lula (Burton) Sullivan. He spent his early years in Orangeville, IN, where he attended Orangeville School through eighth grade and graduated from Orleans High School in 1967.

Family was central to Fred’s life. He was a loving husband of more than 56 years to his wife Glenda (Hall) Sullivan. They were married on December 27, 1969, after meeting as teenagers at 4-H Junior Leaders. He was a devoted father to his two daughters, Megan (David Shrom) Sullivan and Michele (Brian) Henderson. He was “Papaw” to his three granddaughters, Mabel Shrom, Rosemary Shrom, and Samantha Henderson. After spending most of his life in Orange County, IN, Fred resided in Indianapolis during his final years to be closer to his daughters and granddaughters. He is also survived by his sisters, Donna Sullivan and Lucy (Robert) Dembek, as well as several nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, John Sullivan, and sister-in-law, Nedra Sullivan.

Over a 41-year career in highway, bridge, and concrete construction, Fred made a nearly 100-mile daily commute for those years. He began as a young laborer and progressed through roles including area supervisor and divisional vice president, eventually retiring in December 2012 as Vice President of Engineering Technology. Fred was passionate about the bidding, execution, and completion of complex projects, including extensive concrete paving and numerous large bridge projects throughout Kentucky and Indiana.

A love of sports remained with Fred throughout his life, from playing basketball in high school to attending countless Indiana University basketball and football games as a longtime supporter of the Indiana University Varsity Club. He attended the IU football team’s 1968 Rose Bowl game and was thrilled to witness the team’s return to the Rose Bowl and National Championship victory in 2026. He shared his love and knowledge of sports with his daughters, and in recent years enjoyed attending his granddaughters’ games.

In addition to sports, Fred had a wide range of interests and creative hobbies. He enjoyed new technology and was an early adopter of the home computer. He earned his pilot’s license in the late 1970s. He also enjoyed riding motorcycles and spent many weekends camping at Indiana State Parks and boating on Patoka Lake. Over the years, he decorated wedding cakes. More recently, he enjoyed smoking meat, making fresh apple cider with his granddaughters using a vintage apple press, and creating special woodworking projects for his family.

Visitation will be held Monday, August 17, 2026 from 5:00-7:00 PM and Tuesday, August 18, 2026 from 9:00-11:00 AM at Dillman-Scott Funeral Home (226 West Campbell Street, Paoli, IN 47454). Funeral services will be held at 11:00 AM on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, also at Dillman-Scott Funeral Home. Interment will follow the funeral service at Paoli Community Cemetery in Paoli, Indiana.