On the afternoon of October 7th, 2015, C.B. Sullivan, Jr. of Thousand Oaks, CA died from a sudden illness while traveling in Colorado. His family was at his side at the time of his passing. He was 66 years old.
C.B. was born in Manchester, New Hampshire on September 30, 1949. He was the first of five children born to Claire Marie (Richards) Sullivan and Charles Bernard Sullivan, Sr. C.B. was raised in Manchester and attended Bishop Brady High School, Assumption Preparatory School, and Plymouth State University. C.B. had a lifelong career in the beauty supply industry, and acquired his parent’s business, C.B. Sullivan Company, Inc. in 1980 and built a highly successful and one of the largest beauty supply businesses in the Northeast before selling the business in 2010. He was most recently a part owner of Paul Mitchell Systems of Northern New England, Inc., in which he worked closely with his children. C.B. was an avid golfer and sportsman who loved travel and the outdoors.
C.B. carried with him a larger-than-life persona. His magnetic personality was surely influenced by his upbringing in a working class family rooted in the heart of Central Manchester, on the corner of Maple and Salmon streets, where he would learn the in’s and out’s of life in the company of many of his life-long friends. This social development, paired with the strong work ethic that his parents would gift him, and the siblings’ strong family bond, would all contribute to the development of one of New Hampshire’s most infamous businesses, C.B. Sullivan Company, Inc.
C.B.’s charisma and desire to help others achieve their goals were two of the main ingredients that made C.B. Sullivan a household name among New England beauty professionals. C.B. was responsible for introducing and growing many of the beauty industries’ most popular brands including names like, Paul Mitchell & Matrix. When C.B. sold his company in 2010, he had a network of 32 beauty supply stores throughout 6 New England states and close to 300 employees.
A lesser-known story about C.B. is that he was a philanthropist with a heart of gold. The charities that he consistently supported include, the Webster House; the Manchester Police Athletic League, which help align inner-city youth to enjoy a better quality of life and; the Precious Blood Monastery, an organization near and dear to his Catholic upbringing. At his company, C.B. employed a number of individuals with developmental challenges who thrived under his gentle leadership and could often be found supporting causes important to them like, Special Olympic events. He was very passionate about empowering others to succeed and always tried to embody the Golden Rule.
C.B. is survived by Wife, Esther Sullivan, & her 5 children, Tony, Jennifer, Kelley, Stevie & Dakota; Former wife & mother of their 3 children, Linda; Son, Tyler, & his partner, Sarah Newcomb; Son, Kerry, his wife, Emily, & their 3 children, Maeve, Kingston & Ari; Daughter, Lauren, & her partner, Mike Daley-Crotto; Sister, Donna Lewis, her husband, Reid “R.B.” Lewis, & their 2 children, Krysta & Cameron; Brother, Rick, his wife, Cathy, & their 2 children, Kelly & Ryan; Brother, Jeff, his wife, Michelle, & their 3 children, Charles “Chas,” Brendan & Paige; Brother, Mark, his wife, Anne, & their son, Kyle.
SERVICES: The Greater C.B. Sullivan Family invites you to visit the Celebration of C.B. Sullivan’s Life Memorial on Monday, October 26th between 3PM & 8PM at the Executive Court Banquette Facility, 1199 South Mammoth Rd. Manchester, NH 03109. Share stories and reminisce with friends, family and clients, alike. Discounted over-night accommodations available under, “C.B. Sullivan” at the adjacent, Best Western, 13500 South Willow St. Manchester, NH 03103.
A West Coast Celebration of C.B.’s life is planned for November 6th at Sherwood Country Club in California. Memorial donations can be made to one of the charities of which C.B. was a passionate supporter and fundraiser: Manchester Police Athletic League, 405 Valley St. Manchester, NH 03103; or Precious Blood Monastery, 700 Bridge St. Manchester, NH 03104
