Janice Sullivan

Janice Graff Sullivan passed away peacefully at her home on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. She is survived by her children, Laurie Wahlstrom (West Linn, OR), Linda and Nathan Christensen (Logan, UT), Sherman Sullivan and Alexander Ortega de la Hoz (Union City, NJ), Patricia Ybarrondo (Logan, UT), Scott Sullivan and Alejandra Maddox (Longwood, FL), Kent and Marnae Sullivan (Milford, UT); and 21 grandchildren and 20 great grandchildren; a brother, Lloyd and Theresa Graff (St George, UT), and sister, Brenda Brown (St George, UT). She was preceded in death by her husband, Gary Edward Sullivan; a daughter, Julie Sullivan; her parents, Reed and Mary Graff; and a sister, LaRene Slack.

Janice was born on January 1, 1935 in St George, UT. She loved having her birthday on New Year's Day and celebrated it to the fullest. She graduated from Dixie High School. On June 24, 1953, she married Gary Edward Sullivan in the St George Utah Temple. As a family, they lived in St George, Leeds, and Panguitch, Utah, before making their permanent home in Milford, Utah. Gary and Janice arrived in Milford to farm 1,500 acres. With 500 acres in production and cattle on the pasture, it turned into a full-time job for her as well as Gary. With 6 children, she already had plenty to do. But the whole family pitched in to run the farm. Janice learned how to run all the machinery and became the chief mechanic for the farm. She loved to tinker and could repair almost everything. Many nights, Janice would bring a newborn calf into her kitchen at home to get warmed up and feed during calving season. She learned to ride a motorcycle and loved it.

Janice was somewhat of a tomboy and loved to be outdoors and played lots of sports. She played softball as a young girl and was an excellent fast pitcher and short stop player. She coached the young women for their softball teams for many years. Her favorite time was playing in the women's softball league in Beaver County and being on the coed team with her husband, Gary. Janice seemed to lead out with her pitching arm and Gary could run so fast around the bases the he scored many time from just an outfield hit.

Janice became the first woman pilot in the area in the summer of 1968. She and her husband were hired to fly a new plane from Florida to Provo, UT for the Provo Flying Service. Gary and Janice invited their friends, Donald and Aldeen Jones, to join them. Gary piloted all of them down to Florida in their personal plane. Then Gary flew the new plane and Janice flew their plane back to Utah in tandem. "It's just like driving a car, only you get a better view," said Janice. Janice also loved to make quilts for people. We think she made over 200+ quilts for charity and other people. Gary would help her by tying the quilts. Both loved giving them to others. She loved Yellowstone National Park and traveling to fun places. She even ventured into raising Chinchillas at their home in Milford for a couple of years.

One of Janice's loves was gardening. She enjoyed growing flowers and always talked about her grandmother's flower garden at the ranch. Janice loved peonies and hollyhocks and her one row of brightly colored Vinca. Her favorite colors were pink and purple. She also loved growing a vegetable garden, but in her later years she mostly grew tomatoes and beets. She was famous for her pickled beets and raising the best tomatoes like Daddy Reed. Last summer, her tomato patch was so big, she had to give away a lot of tomatoes. Many days, the family caught her in the garden on her hands and knees picking tomatoes so others could enjoy them.

Janice also loved her family and their history. Genealogy was a big part of her life. She was promised that she would have as long a life as she desired so she could do work for her ancestors. The last week of her life she was still concerned about an ancestor that still needed temple work completed. One of her favorite things to do was to make flower arrangements and then go to all the gravesites and place flowers on the family graves to honor them and tell family history stories about them. Family reunions were a highlight for Janice. She is credited with the tradition of starting a water fight at the end of the big Whitney Reunion... everyone was finally pulled into the fun and no one was left off the hook. Janice was known as "fun Aunt Jan". She loved to go deer hunting and spend time at the family ranch. She was always ready to pull a "prank" on anyone.

Janice was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She served as Relief Society President, YW Leader, Primary Teacher, Genealogist Leader, and was in charge of many dance festivals and roadshow skits. She was a great supporter of her husband as he served many years in leadership positions. She made sure the children arrived on time to church so they wouldn't embarrass the Bishop (their Dad) on the stand by being late. She helped serve those around her and helped people strengthen their testimonies. She loved the Book of Mormon, and we are so joyful that she will be able to move forward on her next grand adventure. She will be reunited with her husband, daughter and family members that mean so much to her. Janice will surely feel the love of her Savior surround her.

Funeral services will be held on Thursday, March 12, 2026 at 1:00 pm at the Milford LDS Church (748 600 S, Milford, Utah). There will be a viewing on Wednesday, March 11, 2026 from 7:00-8:30 pm at Southern Utah Mortuary (209 S 100 W St, Milford, Utah) and a viewing just prior to funeral services from 11:30 am - 12:30 pm at the church. Condolences and flowers may be offered at the mortuary or the church. Stories or thoughts can be shared by visiting www.mortuary.org or by calling the mortuary at 435-387-2201. Interment will follow at the Milford Cemetery.