Richard Francis Sullivan

Richard Francis Sullivan, PhD, MD of Cambridge, MA died on Saturday August 3, 2024, at the age of 87 in Cambridge. Rick was the treasured husband of Janet M. Kelly. In addition to Janet, he leaves many loved and loving nieces and nephews and devoted friends.

Rick was born in West Roxbury on July 14, 1937 to William A. and Eleanor F. (Mahoney) Sullivan and raised in Newton. The third of five boys, his parents tried to send him to Catholic schools, but he proved to be too much for the nuns. "They kept kicking me out," Rick would later tell his friends. He eventually went to Roxbury Latin School, a perfect fit for the young man with the curious and discerning mind. Although he described himself as unathletic, he joined the high school wrestling team, which would spark a lifelong passion.

At Harvard College, where he earned his undergraduate degree in chemistry, he also was the 167-pounder on the wrestling team. He went on to get his PhD in organic chemistry at Harvard, studying under the world-renowned organic chemist R. B. Woodward. As a graduate student, Rick taught hundreds of undergraduates, continued to wrestle, and he coached wrestling with Harvard coach John Lee. Under the mentorship of Jim Peckham, who went on to become coach of the U.S. Olympic team, Rick also continued to compete, winning the New England AAU Championship several times. The highlight of Rick's wrestling career came in 1964 when he finished sixth in the US Olympic Wrestling Trials at 191 pounds at the World's Fair in New York City. During the times when he was recovering from wrestling injuries, he took up rowing and became a serious oarsman and successful crew coach.

For his contributions to wrestling, Rick was inducted into the Massachusetts Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame (of which he was one of the original founders) as an Outstanding American in 2008. In addition, in Rick's honor, Harvard University, created the Richard Sullivan Award, which is awarded annually to a Harvard wrestler who has given the most back to Harvard wrestling during his time at the school.

After a brief period as a researcher in chemistry in Philadelphia, Rick accepted a position teaching biochemistry at Tufts Dental School in Boston. While there, he decided to pursue a career in medicine, and he applied to Tufts Medical School. He was rejected because he was, at 36, considered too old to begin medical school. Rick filed an age discrimination suit against the school, a novel action based on an unused Massachusetts statute prohibiting age discrimination in post-college higher education programs. The court ordered Tufts to admit him, and at the age of 38, Rick became a freshman at Tufts Medical School in the fall of 1975. Rick was elected class president for the next four years. In January of his freshman year, he won the MIT Open Wrestling tournament in the heavyweight class.

.

After earning his medical degree, Rick combined his medical and academic interests as the dean of a newly formed medical school in Dominica. Returning to Massachusetts after two years, Rick began his decades-long career as an Emergency Physician, working in several emergency departments throughout eastern Massachusetts. He loved being an ER doctor ("the best job on earth") and cared as deeply about his patients as he had about his students and wrestling protegees. Despite the time pressures of modern medicine, Rick spent a great deal of time listening to patients, insisting that if he listened long enough, the patient would eventually tell him the correct diagnosis.

Settling in at the Cambridge Hospital Emergency Department in his fifties, Rick practiced there for 20 years and won several resident teaching awards. He also practiced for many years in the Emergency Department at Martha's Vineyard Hospital, where he and his wife Janet had a second home, Sage Haven, named after their beloved golden retriever. In his free time, Rick was a passionate sailor whose love of sailing started when he attended sailing camp as a teenager on the Vineyard. He was also an avid card player and played in a regular game for nearly 50 years with lifelong friends.

At 6'3" and 225 pounds, Rick was a presence. He had a strong voice with a distinctive accent reminiscent of the Kennedy accent, but unique to his family. Rick was a natural storyteller, capturing his audience with his accent, his lively wit and his turns of phrase. He was never shy about giving his opinions, even if they conflicted with those that were generally in favor at the time, but his opinions were always shaped by his generous and fun-loving nature and accompanied by his contagious spirit and smile. He was a wonderful raconteur but perhaps even a better audience. After twenty minutes talking with Rick, you came away thinking that you were funnier and smarter than you had ever imagined.

Above all of Rick's wonderful characteristics was his most defining one: Rick was a champion of fair play. If he saw someone being treated unfairly, he simply had to act. It was his most endearing trait.

Rick developed signs of Alzheimer's disease in his mid-eighties. He leaves behind a host of people who will never forget him and know that they are so much the better for having known him. He was a mentor to many, including colleagues, students, friends, wrestlers, and the children of family and friends. These people all felt the joy of having Rick in their lives and they strive to emulate some of his exceptional qualities. Rick never really understood what a profound effect he had on people. He just felt lucky to have had so many wonderful people in his life.

In lieu of flowers, you might take some time to reflect on your time with Rick while enjoying a Coca-Cola and some Brigham's ice cream.

Friends and family are cordially invited to a tribute party for Rick at 1 o'clock on October 5th at 86 Stone Rd. in Belmont, Mass. Please RSVP to Greg Weisz gweisz@verizon.net .