Mary Margaret (Dolan) Sullivan

Mary Margaret (Dolan) Sullivan of Willington, Connecticut passed away on December 5, 2018 in Corpus Christi, Texas. Her late husband of fifty-four years was Judge Terence Anthony Sullivan (Terry). Mary leaves sons Michael Sullivan and Dr. John Sullivan and daughter Maureen Sullivan as well as five grandchildren Nora, Ethan, Emma, Lukas and Ellen. Mary also leaves her sister Katherine (Dolan) Walter and brother Judge Edward Dolan, her son-in-law David Houle, her daughter-in-law Dr. Ivette Motola and her brother-in-law Samuel Walter as well as many other dear family members. Born in Concord, Massachusetts to Irish immigrants Edward Joseph Dolan and Sabina Catherine Naughton, at age 11, Mary and her family moved to Dorchester, Massachusetts after her father died. With wit and grit and despite great economic disadvantage, Mary worked and studied and earned a scholarship to Emmanuel College in Boston where she studied social work and received a Bachelor’s degree. Mary worked as a social worker for the Youth Service Board in Boston before marrying Terry in 1961. The two moved to Willimantic, Connecticut where Terry had been raised and then to Willington. Afterward, Mary worked full-time as a social worker at Mansfield Training School until her first child was born and then as a substitute teacher and as a driver of special needs children. She served as a Cub Scouts Den Mother, and she was a CCD teacher and a Bingo worker at St. Jude Church in Willington. She played softball and bowled, played piano and celebrated life. Mary was a giver and a listener; and truly it was her love and spirit that inspired Terry to find and share his own gifts. At significant expense to her own health, Mary cared for Terry before his death from dementia in 2015. She was loved and respected throughout her life, including at its very end when extraordinary caretakers and friends, Jamie and Teresa, helped ease her pain and suffering. Calling hours will be at Potter Funeral Home, 456 Jackson St, (Rte. 195) Willimantic, CT on Saturday, January 19, 2019 from 8:30 am to 10:30 am with a Funeral Mass following at 11 am at St. Joseph Church, 99 Jackson St., Willimantic, CT. Donations may be made to the Hospice Foundation of America  (https://hospicefoundation.org). 

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