Leslie "Les" James Sullivan

Leslie "Les" James Sullivan, 94, of Prineville and La Grande, died July 4 at Grande Ronde Hospital in La Grande. A graveside service will begin at 10 a.m. July 12 at Juniper Haven Cemetery in Prineville. A memorial service will follow at 11:30 a.m. at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Prineville.

Les was born Sept. 21, 1915, to Ralph and Ann McKay Sullivan in La Grande. He grew up on the family ranch in Starkey, graduating from La Grande High School in 1933 and Oregon State College in 1939.

He entered the Army Air Corps in 1942 flying 30 combat missions in the World War II European Theater as a navigator in B24 bombers. For his service, Les was awarded the Air Medal with Oak Leaf Clusters and the Distinguished Flying Cross. He was honorably discharged from military service in 1945 with the rank of captain.

Before and after his military service, Les served with the U.S. Forest Service, rising through the ranks to forest supervisor of the Ochoco National Forest. In 1948 he received the Department of Agriculture Distinguished Service Award for saving the life of a co-worker trapped under a burning log in a forest fire. After retiring from the Forest Service in 1975, he and Virginia enjoyed traveling and golfing.

Les is survived by his two daughters, Christi Sullivan of La Grande and Leslie Martin of Post Falls, Idaho; seven grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Floyd and Wayne; and his wife of 60 years, Virginia Forbes Sullivan.

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