Jonathan Michael Sullivan

2000 - 2022

It has taken his family more than a year to write this obituary. First was the shock, second was the grief and lastly, how do you define someone who is truly undefinable. Here is our best attempt.

Jonathan Michael Sullivan was born on August 14, 2000, in the middle of one of the worst fire seasons in Helena, Montana. He was born with beautiful auburn hair and spent his first night very peacefully staring at his mom in the hospital. That was probably the one and only time he didn't make - in his own words - his parents' life "more interesting."

He was always willing to fight for the underdog and explore all elements of society, preferring those who were the most authentic, genuine and fun. An extremely precocious child he pronounced his boredom at school from his first day of kindergarten until his last day on earth.

Jonathan excelled at computers and received his A+ computer certification at the age of 14, the youngest person in the nation at the time. He went on to make computers at cost for people who could not afford them otherwise and for organizations he thought were being ripped off by the establishment.

For high school his parents moved with him to Missoula so he could dual-enroll at the University of Montana and Sentinel High School. He excelled in high school and received awards in the school's business program and as a singer in the school choir. When he graduated high school he was already a sophomore in college with a minor in Japanese.

As soon as he graduated from high school he took part in the University of Montana's going abroad program majoring in business at Doshisha University in Kyoto, Japan. Due to Covid, he was forced to come home early and continued his studies at the University of Montana.

He graduated posthumously from the University of Montana with his business entrepreneurship degree graduating cum laude and he was looking forward to going back to Japan to receive his master's degree and teach English to Japanese children at the time of his death.

Jonathan passed away on January 3, 2022, peacefully in his sleep.

It took five months to receive the results of his autopsy which showed he passed away naturally from no known causes.

He is survived by his parents Michael and Amy Sullivan of Helena, Montana and Cody, Wyoming. His sister Maggie Hansbury (and husband Daniel) of Arlington, Virginia. His grandparents Beverly Townsend of Bozeman, Montana; Dr. Tim and Darlene Sullivan of Boise, Idaho; and Mike and Sherry Hoff of Boise, Idaho. His aunts and uncles Todd and Gwyn Daniels of Bozeman, Montana; Mea Townsend of East Hampton, New York (who has since passed away); and Rick and Suzy Sullivan of Boise, Idaho.

He also had six cousins who he had a great time with, most notably, Emily Daniels of Bozeman, Montana who he practically grew up with. We will never forget the laughter shared by them.

Jonathan also held a great presence in the lives of his dear friends - from Helena, Missoula, and several locations overseas. He had a knack for making friends and it is clear from the messages and emails we received in the wake of his passing that they hold him as closely in their hearts as we do.

He was preceded in death by his grandfather Gene Townsend of Simms, Montana.

In honor of this most unusually fantastic human being we are requesting that all memorials be sent to the Montana Community Foundation for the Jonathan Sullivan Memorial Endowment P.O. Box 1145 Helena, MT 59624.

He will never be forgotten and his impact is forever lasting from his short time on this earth.