Gerald Patrick Sullivan

Gerald Patrick Sullivan, age 93, of Tallahassee, died in his home on Pentecost, May 19, 2024.
The funeral Mass will be celebrated by his grandson, Fr. Gerald Andrews, concelebrated by Fr. Michael Foley, and assisted by Dcn. Jerry Haynes at 11:00 am on Saturday, June 1, 2024, at Good Shepherd Catholic Church, Tallahassee. Interment will be at a later date at Tallahassee National Cemetery.
Jerry was the beloved husband of Mary Jean Slack Sullivan, whom he called "Honey Child," for 60 years. Loving father of Susan (John) Andrews, Lynn (Michael) Mangan, Ellen (Kevin) Weiss, and Mary Ann Sullivan (Thomas) Mooney, grandfather ("Poppy") of 21, and great-grandfather of 18. He is also survived by his sisters, Helen Rodden and Maureen Riely, and their families. He was predeceased by Mary Jean, his parents, Leonard and Teresa Sullivan, and his sister Kathryn Swartz.
Jerry was born on July 1, 1930, in Dunlap, Iowa. He and Mary Jean were married on November 29, 1958, at Holy Name Cathedral, Chicago. They soon moved to Morton Grove, IL, where they raised their four daughters and then, in retirement, moved to Phoenix, and later, Sun Lakes, AZ, before moving to Tallahassee.
Jerry served as a hospital corpsman in the Navy and with the Marines in Korea. He was a devout Catholic who attended daily Mass, prayed rosaries on the phone with his sisters each day, and had a special devotion to the Infant Jesus of Prague. His amiability, generosity and easy humor endeared him to countless people in the communities in which he lived.
His character is illustrated beautifully by one of his nieces in the following letter from 1993:
Despite the fact that I am an aspiring nurse, I had no idea what an aneurism is. I dusted off my dictionary. Under aneurism I found the definition "to stretch." I then smiled and knew that you would be okay. You see my dear uncle, no one on earth has stretched their heart out more than you. No one has loved more, displayed more compassion and brought the presence of God to earth the way that you have. No one I have ever known has stretched their heart out quite like you have. I suspect your physician just didn't realize what he was looking at. While he may have thought he saw an aneurism, in reality, he saw the heart of a man who has loved beyond normal limits. You will be fine great uncle. Have no fear.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be sent to Open Door Women's Clinic, PO Box 14269, Tallahassee, FL 32317; Martyrs of La Florida, P.O. Box 12062, Tallahassee, FL 32317; or Good Shepherd Catholic Church, 4665 Thomasville Rd., Tallahassee, FL 32309.
Kelly Barber of Bevis Funeral Home (850-385-2193 or www.bevisfh.com) is assisting the family with their arrangements.