Philip Edward Sullivan

I'm 81 now and in my constant memories of all the people who influenced and shared and laughed and mentored me it was Phil! He taught me patience, Humility, how to write, to question-knowing I would probably not find the answers, To see into the hearts of my students, not their heads. to always have a cat in my life, to laugh at and with life, to teach the real history of pain of this country knowing others would resent the process. A man of many consistent inconsistencies who I dearly loved!...

I miss you friend. Every time I sit to write, I think of you. I revisit your scribbled comments on yellowed papers from years ago; still kept, cherished, and my "Ticket of Admission" to Myth and Self, dripping with arrogance. Oh how you awakened me! Truly, "All paths lead nowhere. Take the one with heart." I'm no hero but I'm still searching for the path. Thank you dear Phil.

Yes, even now I think of Phil often and feel grateful for his lovely, funny presence in my life.

Phil was the best teacher I've ever had in my life. The world is a far better place because of him.

I was a seven sisters school drop out who landed in Utah. I thought I knew everything, and wandered into Phil's class. He was barefoot, he had his dog at his feet, he talked of his daughter Lisa "in whom he was well proud" and challenged us to find the source of his quote. After class I approached him with the answer (this was, of course, before Google) and he told me "I was the shining example of illiteracy in the university" and said his door was open if I wanted to do something about it. ...

The world has lost one of its most wonderful & loving leprechauns. I feel blessed to have known Phil & his wife Marianna and send her & Phil's children my condolences for their loss. Perhaps Phil and my late husband, Chuck, who loved Phil as I did, will now have a chance to resume their exchanges of witticisms, ideas and belly laughs as they did in years past...

Phil had a profound effect on my life, helping me find my way to a destination I hadn't even seen; but he did. His name is in unnumbered minds, and anyone privileged to have him for a teacher will never forget him. Phil is truly one of the Immortals. I hope the peace that was at the center of his heart will encompass his family with its immense solace.

Dr. Sullivan was my favorite professor when I was an English major at the U in the 1970's. Like an earlier poster, I have also kept papers which I wrote for his courses. His comments were so helpful and meaningful to me. He was a generous and caring teacher who encouraged his students to think. I am not at all surprised to see that he was involved in so many social justice issues; that is the Phil Sullivan that I remember.

Dear Marianna,

I was so very sorry to hear of Phil's passing. I was hard pressed just now not to call him Dr. Sullivan, for so I first knew him back in the '70s when with such timidity I took Intro to Shakespeare from him at the U. I was utterly delighted to reconnect with him and to meet you when the two of you joined the Emeriti Club tour to Eastern Europe in 2002 and I have enjoyed my admittedly sporadic correspondence with Phil since that time--his enthusiasms and his...