Mr. Sullivan was born and grew up in New York. He married Florence Dugan in 1941. From 1943 to 1946, he was a noncommissioned officer in the Navy, where he specialized in radar systems. That led him to the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington. He later graduated from Brooklyn Polytechnical Institute with a degree in electrical engineering, and worked with Bell Labs, CBS, RCA and Lockheed.
According to his family, Mr. Sullivan was involved in the development of color television and the TV signals in the Ranger and Apollo space programs.
In 1949, he and his wife moved to Florham Park, where they raised their seven children. He was a founding member of Holy Family Parish in the early 1950s, his family said. Between 1972 and 2005, the family lived in Howard County. Most recently, they returned to Florham Park.
Mr. Sullivan was preceded in death by his wife, Florence, in 2007. He is survived by his children, James Sullivan, of Glenview, Ill.; Michael Sullivan, of Washington; Patricia Sullivan, of Morris Township, N.J.; Joan Spies, of Boonton Township, N.J.; Janet Bress, of Brookside, N.J.; Barbara Flanagan, of Severna Park; and Margee Sullivan, of Boulder, Colo.; as well as 14 grandchildren. Family members said he was a loving and devoted father and a strong role model. A funeral mass was held Jan. 7, 2009 at Holy Family Church in New Jersey. Memorial donations may be made to Holy Family Church, 1 Lloyd Ave., Florham Park, NJ 07932 or The Florham Park Rescue Squad, 60 Felch Road, Florham Park, NJ 07932.