Carolyn Judson Sullivan

2/5/1939 - 9/21/2025

Norwich - Carolyn Judson Sullivan passed away in her home in Carlsbad, Calif., Sept. 21, 2025, after a short but sudden battle with uterine cancer. She was born in Norwich, Feb. 5, 1939, the third daughter of John and Lucia Couture Cousins. She is predeceased by her parents; and sisters, Jeanne Lonardelli and her husband Jack and Dorothy Silverberg and her husband Orrin; as well as her son-in-law, Dean Rostovsky. Her surviving sister, Linda Cousins, resides in Mill Valley, Calif.

In her early years she lived in Norwich, and graduated from the University of Connecticut in 1960. Late in her sophomore year she was pursued by a young Coast Guard officer named James Sullivan who claims he dated her for four years before she finally agreed to "be unofficially engaged" in August 1962. She rebutted that by saying, "he was never around since he was either at sea, at flight school or on isolated duty in Alaska for most of that time." She finally succumbed to his pleadings after he returned briefly from Alaska, and they were married at the USCG Academy Chapel in New London, Sept. 8, 1962. Immediately after the wedding, they departed on a 7,000-mile road trip to Seattle, Wash. This set the stage for a lifetime of travelling in which Carolyn was always the shining star, working very hard at keeping her introverted husband on his feet. Carolyn loved to point out that they had lived in ten cities within the U.S, as well as in London, England, and Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates prior to 14 post-retirement years in the little village of Ajijic in the Central Highlands of Mexico. When family health issues arose in 2020, she immediately decided it was time to be closer to family and moved to California to provide support. During COVID, she settled at the retirement community of La Costa Glen in Carlsbad, Calif.

She was the proud mother of three children and six grandchildren. James "Kip" was born in Astoria, Ore. Dec. 26, 1967. Kip and his family of Linda Docter Sullivan and their sons, John and Malcolm, remained in Wisconsin when Carolyn and Jim moved to Mexico in 1999. Their second son, Michael, was born in Norwich, July 23, 1969, while the family was being transferred from the Naval War College in Newport, R.I. to Washington, D.C. Michael and his wife Elena Berkman Sullivan live in San Diego with their two daughters, Madeline and Lucia. Their daughter, Meghan Rostovsky, was born Jan. 3, 1973, at the U.S. Marine Corps hospital in Quantico, Va. She lives in Los Angeles, Calif. with her daughter Sasha and son Sam. She is also survived by numerous beloved and loving nephews and nieces.

Carolyn has always stated that she was blessed with a wonderful family, friends throughout the world, and lived a joyful life well above her expectations. Rather than any other remembrance, Carolyn would appreciate your being kind to someone or by supporting the charity of your choice.