WOLCOTT — Ann Marie G. Sullivan, 85, of Wolcott, passed away peacefully enveloped in her daughter’s arms at her home on Tuesday, June 14, 2022. She was the widow of her beloved husband Donald J. Sullivan, with whom she shared 34 years of marriage.
Annie was born May 19, 1937 in Waterbury, the daughter of the late Henry George and Lena DiSapio George. Annie was a graduate of the Saint Mary’s Hospital School of Nursing in Waterbury, and went on to compassionately and skillfully care for her patients as an R.N. for more than 50 years.
Her career was diverse, as she practiced many different specialties in her broad and lengthy career. Her career began with critical care and medical surgical nursing at Saint Mary’s. Also, while at the hospital, Annie was a clinical nursing instructor and she also initiated and headed the staff and clinical development programs to facilitate staff in delivering the highest standard of care while honing their skill sets.
For many years after working in the hospital setting, Annie worked in both skilled nursing facilities as floor nurse, as well as in home care agencies as a visiting nurse. She was also a home care supervisor for many years in home care agencies, and she was a director of nursing for a skilled nursing facility before accepting her most favorite nursing position as a school nurse for the city of Waterbury.
Annie was a school nurse at Sts. Peter and Paul School for 16 years before retiring at the age of 72. She provided healing love to both students and staff, and did so with a warm smile and an attentive ear.
Annie was unwavering in her Catholic faith and volunteered her time for many years teaching catechism at the St. Maria Goretti Church in Wolcott. She was a communicant of St. Michael Church in Waterbury in more recent years.
Her deep and abiding faith sustained her and was intrinsic to who she was, as it was the source of strength and of light that guided her throughout life. She lived and she loved with the deepest of faith and with the most selfless of hearts.
Cooking and baking were elevated to art forms by Annie. Her brownies, Death by Chocolate, pies and homemade manicotti were exceptional, and she enjoyed teaching her daughter her culinary secrets.
Most assuredly, Annie’s favorite time was spent with her family, especially her dearest husband Donald and her treasured daughter, Judi. She would lovingly cheer Judi on during her games, volunteer at school events, and spend many summer days watching Judi swim at the lake in town. Her joy was loving and being loved by the people whom she treasured.
The last two years of Annie’s life were especially challenging, yet she gracefully endured her struggles without complaint and with an unparalleled level of courage and of positivity. Her daughter and son-in-law, Kris, lovingly fulfilled their promise to care for her at home with the dignity and with the love that she unceasingly delivered to her own patients, as well as her ailing family and friends over the years. Her smile and gentle valor remained until her last breath.
Annie was a gift and a miracle for so many and her smile, compassion, and her altruism will be remembered forever in both the minds and in the hearts of all whose lives she touched in her lifetime.
Left to cherish her love and memory are her daughter, Judi Ann Sullivan and her husband Kris Berube, with whom she shared her home, as well as her loyal granddog, Tucker.
Besides her husband Donald, Annie was predeceased by her sister, Judith George, and by several brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law.
There will be no calling hours and all services will be private and at the convenience of the family.
The family would like to thank the Compassus Hospice Care Team for their compassionate care over the course of Ann’s illness. Due to extreme allergies, the family requests that flowers and floral arrangements not be sent to the funeral home or to the personal residence.
If you so choose, memorial donations may be made to Annie’s favorite charity, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, at stjude.org, to help facilitate treatments for children, to continue research, and to aid and to support families during care.
All services will be private and at the convenience of the family. Prospect Memorial/The Palmerie Family Funeral Home is honored to be entrusted with the arrangements.
You are invited to share your favorite memories, a photo or words of comfort for Annie’s family at prospectmemorial.com.
