Daniel Francis Sullivan

DANIEL FRANCIS SULLIVAN departed this world on April 16, 2025 in Pawleys Island, South Carolina at the age of 87, following a life of remarkable achievements. Dan is survived by his beloved wife Mary Ann Pratt Sullivan of Pawleys Island, South Carolina, and brother Michael Sullivan of Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
Born in Worcester, Massachusetts on September 14, 1937 as the second son of Michael and Helen Moynihan Sullivan, Dan found early success in athletics, pointing a direction that he followed throughout the course of his life in competitive sports, exercise, and physical fitness.
During his years at St. Peter's High School in Worcester, Dan was a highly successful halfback on a highly successful Worcester football team. The Worcester Sunday Telegram on October 24, 1954 reported the preceding day's game against South High – "Halfback Dan Sullivan personally accounted for all the scoring of the game as the St. Peter's High football team slammed to its fourth straight victory by defeating South High, 13-0, Saturday night at the Athletic Field". St. Peter's became city champion, with Danny scoring the winning touchdown before 12,000 fans against St. John's Prep in the season final.
The following year found Private First Class Daniel Sullivan in uniform at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina as a member of Worcester's 1st Signal Company in the United States Marine Corps Reserve. As Dan recounted many years later, "I joined the Marine Corps the day after my 17th birthday. While at Camp Lejeune, standing in the chow line with my company, I was hit up the side of the head by my Gunny Sergeant, who bellowed, 'What are you doing?' I replied, "Waiting for chow, Sir, like all the rest'. He said, 'You are not like all the rest. When you are waiting in line for chow, pay, or the head, you'd better have a book to read."
Dan responded to this physical incentive from his Gunnery Sergeant, recalling years later that "I did my time, read my books, graduated from Springfield College in 1960, and earned a Master's degree in Education from Worcester State in 1964. I became a teacher, coached football, basketball, baseball, and track. Also I officiated high school and college football and basketball."
In the Worcester School System, Dan was an elementary physical education teacher from 1960 to 1964, and a secondary physical education teacher from 1964 to 1969. In 1969, he moved to Hawaii, starting as a secondary physical education teacher in the Hawaii Department of Education in Kailua, advancing to administrative assistant in 1971, district resource teacher in Windward in 1974, and state specialist in Honolulu in 1986. That same year he was chair of the Government's Task Force on Fitness in Honolulu. The following year Dan authored teacher guides on Skills and Fitness, Basic Water Safety, and Kid Fit, with an accompanying Kid Fit video. He joined the President's Council on Physical Fitness, building a friendship with Arnold Schwartzenegger in that effort, and advanced to State Director of Physical Education for the State of Hawaii, initiating physical education and physical fitness programs for Hawaii's elementary, middle, and high schools, and establishing a Jump Rope Team of 6-12 year olds that demonstrated their skills in workshops and events throughout the State of Hawaii, helping to raise over $300,000 for the Hawaii Heart Association in 1982-1984. From 1975 to 1985, Dan was also the football announcer for Kailua High School football games.
In 1985, Dan's credentials were submitted for participation in the NASA Teacher in Space Project as the first U.S. private citizen to fly on a Space Shuttle Mission. Although Dan did not make it to space, his earthbound life left a legacy of achievement that remains firmly anchored in the memories of all who knew him and were inspired by him.
Dan was active in the American Legion in Honolulu, serving as chaplain for the organization from 1980 to 1987, and being named as its Legionnaire of the Year in 1986, as well as being an active member in the Elks Club, a Commandant in the Marine Corps League, and the 1988-90 President of Clan na Gael.
To view these details online or to offer words of comfort through the online guestbook, visit, www.burroughsfh.com
Burroughs Funeral Home & Cremation Services of Murrells Inlet, (843-651-1440) is honored to assist the family.