Neil Sullivan

Neil Sullivan, formerly of Tallahassee and Melbourne, FL, passed away May 9, 2025, in Oak Ridge, TN, with family by his side. Neil was born August 10, 1940, in New Haven, CT., to John Francis Sullivan and his wife, Julia Sullivan (née Chappell). A grandchild of Irish immigrants, Neil was named in honor of his paternal grandfather, Cornelius Joseph. After a childhood marked by divorce, instability, and abandonment, he finally found love and security in his college sweetheart, Audrey Dorothy Isom, and a sense of belonging and family in her parents and four sisters.

While students at Florida State University, Neil and Audrey regularly went on dates at The Sweet Shop (located on FSU's campus), and remained devoted to FSU for the remainder of their lives-faithfully attending football games, collecting memorabilia, and supporting the school financially. Beyond FSU, Neil was also a strong supporter of Norwich Free Academy, in New England, where he and his brothers attended high school.

After marrying in 1964, graduating from FSU (Neil was class of 1967), and, in 1968, having a son, Christopher, whom they adored, Neil and Audrey dedicated their lives to education and the enrichment of children's lives. Their successful careers in Brevard County, Florida, culminated in Audrey becoming principal of Roy Allen Elementary School, and Neil, who taught at Tropical Elementary and Sabal Elementary Schools, becoming Brevard County's Teacher of the Year in 1984. Politically-minded and insatiably curious about the world, Neil spent his latter years reading, researching family genealogy, and staying informed on world events; whilst also continuing to indulge his lifelong love of gardening-utilizing his yard as a painter does a canvas.

Following the death of his wife, Audrey, from cancer in 2002, he often spent his remaining years revisiting their previous haunts, including the FSU campus and the Dorothy B. Oven Park in Tallahassee, where he dedicated a camellia and a concrete bench to the memory of Audrey. In 2021, he moved from his longtime home state of Florida to Oak Ridge, TN, to be closer to his sister-in-law, Bonnie Isom Bautz, and her family. In death, we pray he again finds the peace he so desperately desired, and that he'd found with Audrey. As he quoted in the obituary of his late wife, "Death leaves a heartache that no one can heal; love leaves a memory no one can steal".

Neil is survived by his sisters-in-law (née Isom) and their spouses: Linda and Tony Lengerich; Marcia and Randy Henry; Bonnie and Michael Bautz; and Susan Lanman. He's also survived by Bonnie's daughters (née Bautz) and their spouses: Katie and Johnny Goshen; Audrey and James Loveland; and Laura and Josh Hedrick; as well as the Hedricks' daughter, Amelia. Additionally, he was survived by his estranged son, Christopher Sullivan, of Atlanta-who was the focus of Neil's last thoughts and who sadly passed away less than two weeks after Neil's death-and is survived by Christopher's wife, Sarah Crossman Sullivan, along with their four children, Jack, Henry, Cecily, and Gabrielle.

Neil is preceded in death by his wife, Audrey Isom Sullivan; father, John Francis Sullivan; mother, Julia Christine Chappell Sullivan; two brothers, Brian Sullivan and John Joseph Sullivan (a.k.a. Jonathan J. Chappell); and sister, Joyce Sullivan.

A small memorial will be held for Neil on October 24, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. at Dorothy B. Oven Park, where Neil's ashes will be placed at the camellia he had planted in his wife's memory. Additionally, a new plaque honoring Neil's memory will be added to the camellia. In honor of Neil and Audrey Sullivan: Go, Seminoles!

The following is text from a card left by Neil to be given to his son on his father's passing. May they both now rest in peace and eternal light:

To my son, Chris, at the time of my death [written October 17, 2005]

Dear Chris,

Yesterday was your 37th birthday, and the only one in all those years on which I didn't wish you a happy one. I thought of you all day hoping that you are well and happy. Tomorrow it will be 3 1/2 years since I've seen you, as it will be that long since your mother's funeral-and I miss you. Time has not dulled the pain of losing my wife and my son. Some days are better than others, but the weekends continue to be the worst.

Not a day passes without me remembering the many good times we had as a family and being grateful that I have those memories. I just wanted to let you know that I haven't stopped loving you and hope that the time will come when you allow me back into your life.

Love,

Dad