Jerry "Papa" Sulak

On Tuesday May 16, 2017 Jerry "Papa" Sulak passed away peacefully after a yearlong battle with Ulcerated Colitis. Jerry was born in Harrisburg Pennsylvania to Leonard and Wanda Sulak. In 1959 he met and married his lifetime love, Carol Maloney. Jerry joined the military in 1954 and spent twelve years in the Navy. He would spend months at a time under water in a nuclear submarine, clearly small spaces and hard sleep surfaces were never a challenge for him. A career in Electrical Engineering brought him to Boston where he spent 26 years working for Stone & Webster. He traveled extensively and enjoyed the many places his job brought him. Upon retirement Jerry moved to Hilton Head, SC. Here his love for golf and all things outdoors really took off. Whether it was time in a kayak, time teaching his grandchildren to golf, or showing off his mad water skiing skills, Jerry was hard to keep indoors. Not one to "settle easy" into retirement Jerry started a small "fixer upper" business with a close friend. He loved this new chapter of his life and all the people it enabled him to meet and develop close friendships with. Jerry's superpower was his ability to fix anything...and we mean anything! His garage mirrored any large hardware store and he could recall the exact location of any tool or part located within it. He had an easy, gentle laugh and a moral compass that always pointed in the right direction. Jerry lived his life always being kind. He believed that through helping others you always received far more than you could ever possibly give. Jerry was the living example of Ephesians 4:32 - "And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ." His love for Christ was nurtured during his attendance at Church of the Cross. Jerry was preceded in death by his sister Nancy and loving parents. His surviving family knows that Papa was received in Heaven in the loving arms of his granddaughter, Grace. Together again we are sure Papa is honoring his daughters request to be with Grace, love her, and make sure that the no dating boys rule remains in effect. Jerry is survived by his wife of 58 years Carol, his children, Janet and her husband Charlie, his daughter Cindy, his son David, his daughter-in-law Sheila, his daughter Kristen, and her partner Heidi Hanson and sister Cindy and her husband Lou. He is also survived by his remaining eight grandchildren, Kristen, Charles, Matthew, Priscilla, Dominick, Victoria, Elizabeth and Faith. It is a "well know secret" that he told each of them they were each his favorite. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews. We love you Papa and will miss you every day with every breath. A celebration of Jerry's life will take place Friday, May 19, 2017 at 4pm at the Church of the Cross on Calhoun Street. In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be made to the Amazing Grace Scholarship Fund at the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry (www.cf-lowcountry.org)