Christopher Michael "Sully" Sullivan

A beloved husband, Dad, friend, and son of Florida's Space Coast shores, Christopher Michael "Sully" Sullivan, passed away on May 22, 2025.

Born unexpectedly in an elevator on October 16, 1968, Sully (also known as "Chris") could not wait to boldly join this world and cradle all he loved with laughter, gentle spontaneity, and a captivatingly warm smile. He first met his future wife, Sarah, in a summer tennis league when she was twelve years old and he was thirteen. Later, they would meet again in Mr. Greene's high school biology class, become best friends, and fall in love. On a Kentucky Derby Saturday, these true companions went to their senior prom, with Chris donning a tuxedo with tails and driving a brown Datsun amped with a boom box on the back seat floor. Mixed tapes and love notes flowed as their families lived in different cities after graduation and throughout college. Chris and Sarah attended Florida State University, and married soon after graduating, with Sarah's Dad, Reverend Ken Crossman, officiating the ceremony.

Chris paid for college by working for a moving company and his enjoyment in rearranging household furniture and maneuvering seemingly impossible objects became part of his hope-filled delight in shifting spaces and creating small joys ignited by "Wouldn't it be so cool if…?"

A man who enjoyed dancing in the kitchen to late 80s and early 90s anthems, sharing Thai food dates with his bride, and watching Marvel, Star Wars, and Mission Impossible movies with his family on regular Friday pizza picnic nights, Sully could be counted on for set dance moves, motivation, quick wit, and calmly assuring everything would be okay. Even 30 years into their marriage, Chris still loved holding his wife's hand, sharing deep belly laughs, and keeping a handkerchief ready in his pocket. They loved any body of water they could find together and lived a life of leaping in and holding on, even when the ground shook and illness's deep aches emerged.

In 1995, Sully worked for Tech Data, while Sarah was at Stetson Law School, and during their second year living in St. Petersburg, Florida, he accepted a job with Microsoft and stayed with the corporation for 27 years. Sully was an integral part of the company during global innovations, and revered his co-workers and the Microsoft journey, even being excited when the last four digits of their home phone number were "9598" because those were, at the time, the most recent versions of Microsoft's software. Initially accepting a position with the company in Atlanta, Sully quickly took on global roles, earning multiple awards, including Microsoft Circle of Excellence, Corporate Hi-Potential Leadership, Partner Impact, and eventually leading Microsoft's U.S. Health and Life Sciences team.

Active in church and service, Sully held a strong faith, shared in daily scripture with his family, and actively studied God's word. He often repeated Ephesians 6:10, Galatians 6:2, Jeremiah 29:11, Hebrews 11:1, Isaiah 42:6-7; Ruth 1:16-17; John 14:27, and Song of Solomon 3:4. His faith and abiding love anchored him during the depth of illness and steadfast determination to heal.

Sully is preceded in death by his parents, Neil and Audrey Sullivan, and his father-in-law, and is survived by his wife of 33 years (40+ years together), Sarah Crossman Sullivan, and their four children, John Christopher "Jack" Sullivan, Henry Riley Sullivan, Cecily Catherine Sullivan, and Gabrielle Joy Sullivan, multiple aunts, cousins, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, mother-in-law, and cherished friends. Chris loved his family "beyond the moon and every star." He deeply valued working from home, doing his job remotely for the majority of his career, because he wanted to be with his family more than any other place. He delighted in ensuring the car was warm before his family entered, loved music cranked loud with the windows down – especially on the way to school, and making coffee early in the morning for Sarah.

A true gentleman who reveled in cheering on his family, Sully was quick to make friends and could be steadfastly counted on for Starlight mints, welcoming casual attire – no matter the occasion, and any discussions on golf, beaches, cars, dogs, fly fishing, football, travel, technology, and everything Microsoft, but above all, he treasured Team Sully – his Sully Six. This great storyteller, optimist, and nurturer of dreams loved outdoor dinner parties, impromptu milkshake dates, Pictionary, UNO, and charades, and, with just about any music playing, would drum on anything, including steering wheels, chair arms, and church pews. His cadence -- the steadfast rhythm of his heart -- was Sarah, Jack, Henry, Cecily, and Gabrielle.

While there is no singular afternoon to fully encapsulate love and his far too short time here, there will be a celebration of Christopher Michael Sullivan's life and his forever home in heaven on Saturday, June 14 at 2:00 PM in the sanctuary of Peachtree Road United Methodist Church, Atlanta, Georgia. On earth as it is in heaven, is the family's prayer, indeed.

In lieu of flowers, friends have established scholarship opportunities in honor of Sully's children in high school and college. www.UGift529.com Code: A6K-N2N