March 11, 1950 – August 19, 2026

Charles James “Jim” Sullivan, 76, of West Richland, Washington, passed away peacefully at home on August 19, 2026, surrounded by his family after a two-year battle with pancreatic cancer.

Jim was born March 11, 1950, in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, and moved as a young boy to Kennewick, Washington, where he was raised. He attended Park Middle School and Kennewick High School. As a young man he worked a variety of jobs—pulling green chain in a lumber mill, farming, and other odd jobs—and spent summers traveling with his brothers to Coeur d’Alene to farm and haul hay for their grandfather.

He became a journeyman electrician and dual-card union member with IBEW Local 112 and Local 77. He worked construction electrical for Signal Electric, the company started by his uncle Herb Sullivan, before beginning a 39-year career at Battelle Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland.

Jim married the love of his life, Patricia Lynn Riley, on June 22, 1974. They shared 52 years of marriage. He is survived by his wife, Patti; his sons, J.C. Sullivan (Angela) and their sons Liam, Kellan, and Brennan, and Bill Sullivan (Joanna Herrera) and their sons Conor and Cian; his mother, Deloras Sullivan; his brother Neil Sullivan (Karen); and his brother Terry Anderson (Patty). He was preceded in death by his father, William Elmer “Bill” Sullivan, and his sister, Karen Barnes.

Jim loved following his sons and later his grandsons through all their sports and other activities, rarely missing anything. Through those years he built many lasting friendships and lifelong relationships.

His lifelong passions were many and deeply felt. He loved classic cars and hot rods—legend has it he owned more than 30 cars before graduating high school and was once told by the Department of Licensing that he needed a dealer’s license because of the volume of buying, selling, and trading he did. That passion carried into more than three decades of custom metal fabrication, body work, and painting cars alongside his close friend Maurice Duffield. He worked to the sound of 1950s and 1960s oldies and was known for being able to fix nearly anything with a can-do attitude.

He also loved the outdoors and animals: camping, hunting, fishing, and horses. He raced Appaloosas and Quarter Horses, rode Tennessee Walkers, and for decades bred, trained, and competed German Wirehaired Pointers in field trials, placing nationally with a puppy derby dog in the 1980s and maintaining championship bloodlines. He raised homing pigeons that he used in his dog training.

Jim was known for being a proud Irishmen, his physical strength and strength of character, his big heart and warm smile, and his endless selfless kindness. He was dependable, social, hardworking, and a devoted family man who was always there when anyone needed him.

He will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him.

A small private service limited to immediate family will be held.