Obituary of William P Sullivan

 

 

William P. Sullivan (Bill)–born 3/26/27 in High Forest, Minnesota; died 12/31/21 in Sherwood, Oregon.

 

Bill was raised on a farm in the small town of Stewartville, MN, the youngest of seven children.  Farm life was demanding and he was given much responsibility early in life.

 

He joined the Navy at 18, trained in Coronado, California and while based in Washington, D.C. met the love his life, Dorothy.

 

After discharge from the service, the couple was married and settled in D.C. and started a family. Bill became a court reporter and worked in the Federal courts, transcribing Congressional as well as Supreme Court proceedings. Seeking new opportunities, the young family migrated a bit west to the small community of Atlantic, Iowa.

 

After six years of covering the circuit courts in Iowa, Bill moved his family of six to Reno, Nevada, where he was employed with the Washoe County Superior Courts.  While in Reno he also opened his own freelance court reporting company. Many happy years were spent in Nevada, volunteering at the children’s schools and church, hiking, learning to ski, and enjoying the wide open spaces.  Family trips were made to the Bay Area to cheer on the San Francisco Giants and the Oakland A’s.  Bill and Dorothy’s favorite spots to visit were San Francisco and Carmel.

 

Wanderlust led to a move to Seattle, where Bill worked for the King County Superior Courts.  The couple lived in Magnolia for forty- plus years, enjoying their lovely view of Elliot Bay and the charming community there.  Following his retirement, Bill could be found volunteering at senior centers, helping with tax preparation and driving residents to appointments. 

 

Bill and Dorothy loved to take advantage of last minute special airfares or random road trips to explore this beautiful country.  The last five years in Washington were spent in a Kirkland retirement community close to the waterfront.

 

Bill made his final move in 2021 to a lovely retirement home near family in Sherwood, Oregon.  He lived independently there, still cheering on his Seattle Mariners and Seahawks, enjoying his nightly glass of wine and keeping up to date on the news of the world.

 

A true gentleman, model father, caring and generous soul, he was predeceased by his wife of 70 years, Dorothy and granddaughter Andrea, and is greatly missed by his four children; Deborah Miller (Mike), Paula Blum (Bob), Donna Whitemaine (Frank), Mark (Linda), eight grandchildren (Danny, Ryan, Megan, Valerie, Stephanie, Becky, Eleissa and Catie) and ten great grandchildren.

 

We will cherish the memories of the ever-present music (the background to our lives) and our father humming along to his favorite smooth jazz albums.  We will fondly remember the sight of him joyfully taking daily walks (sometimes three) along Magnolia Boulevard.  The daily phone calls to update him on family news will be sorely missed!

 

A private ceremony will be held at the Tahoma National Cemetery.

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