Donald T. Sullivan

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Rhode Island School of Design

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Holmes-Watkins Funeral Home - Manchester

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Manchester, Connecticut

Donald Sullivan Obituary

Donald T. Sullivan, 81, of Bolton, beloved husband of Barbara J (Murphy) Sullivan, died Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2008, at St. Francis Hospital.

Born July 26, 1927, in Groton, son of Edward and Pauline Sullivan, he had lived in Bolton for the past 16 years where he was a parishioner at St. Maurice Church and member of the Knights of Columbus. A graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design and World War II veteran, he worked for nearly 40 years in the New York office of the internationally recognized architectural firm of Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill. He will be most remembered as a loving husband, caring father, and devoted grandfather.

Besides his wife of 53 years, he is survived by two sons and their spouses, Patrick and Susan Sullivan of Canterbury, and Dan and Marianne Sullivan of Kingston, R.I.: a sister, Julia Parker of Groton; and five grandchildren who loved him so much: Bonnie Rose, Nicholas, Joseph, Elizabeth, and Charlotte. He was predeceased by two brothers, Edward Sullivan of Mystic and William Sullivan of Groton. His spirit, energy, and generosity will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Thursday, Dec. 4, at 11 a.m. at St. Maurice Church in Bolton.

Friends and family may call at the Watkins Funeral Home, 142 East Center St., Manchester, on Wednesday, Dec. 3, from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Share and Care Group at St. Maurice Church, 32 Hebron Road, Bolton, CT 06043 or the Bolton Senior Citizens, 104 Notch Road, Bolton, CT 06043.

To sign the online guestbook, or for directions to the funeral home, please go to:

www.holmes-watkinsfuneralhomes.com

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by Journal Inquirer from Dec. 1 to Dec. 5, 2008.

Memories and Condolences
for Donald Sullivan

3 Entries

Melanie Parker

December 5, 2008

Great Uncle Donald. you will be greatly missed by all. You had a warm and loving heart heart and a great personaliy. We all had fun at the get togethers at the 4th of July picnics at the cottage. There is a very good memory of when I was a little girl at your house in L.I. N.Y. just being a kid running around playing inside the the house. It was a long time ago but It I do remember, I pray that you are in a bettter place now. God bless.

michael sullivan

December 2, 2008

Dear Barbara and Family

You are in our thoughts and prayers and we hope that you will keep your chin up during this time of great loss.

I think you must know that Donald was always my Mom's favorite nephew and one of my favorite cousins. As a young kid living in New London, we often visited Aunt Pauline and Uncle Eddie at their home in Groton. I recall that when Donald and his brothers and sister were there, we were always allowed to play with his old toys, and on occasion, to take home a few of his political campaign buttons from his collection. He and "Sister" took good care of their younger cousins from across the Thames. I can still recall picking gooseberries along the stone wall in their yard.

Both my mom, and my Dad always thought that Donald walked on water and they were very proud of having a relative who was an important architect working in New York. In her later years my Mom told me how nice you and Donald were to invite her and our family to visit, and to party with you and your family at your Lake Cottage.

I wish that we could have gotten to know your family better, but sadly, the Marine Corps constantly moved my family and I around the country about a dozen times during my 26 years, and we never seemed to have enough time to visit with all of the family relatives when we returned to Connecticut for those brief visits.

I sincerely regret not being able to find your address/phone number when I stopped in Andover this summer on my way up to UConn class reunion. I mistakenly thought that your cottage was on Columbia Lake and we drove right past Bolton. We had driven that route up to Storrs in hopes of stopping by to see you and Donald, to have a beer and to say hi. Now I feel awful that I was so close, and that I missed my final opportunity to see Donald before he fell ill.

Hopefully, when we return to Connecticut on our next visit, we can finally get up your way to see you in person. You are in our prayers and Donald will always be remembered and greatly missed.

Take care, be strong, always keep your family close and let them know how much you love them. God Bless.

Michael and Barbara Sullivan