BOMBER MEMORIAL

JOHN PATRICK SULLIVAN ~ Class of 1972
March 18, 1954 - January 16, 2023



Our dear friend, father, husband, brother and uncle, John Patrick Sullivan, crossed over on January 16th, 2023. His infectious good nature, mischievous smile and hearty laugh will be deeply missed by all who knew him.

John was born on March 18th, 1954, to Maurice and Sheila Sullivan in Chicago, IL. He was the second of six children; brother to Ellen Sullivan Cooley ('71), Kevin Sullivan (RIP'74HHS), Neal Sullivan ('77HHS), Kathleen Sullivan ('79HHS) and Brian Sullivan ('81HHS). Soon after John was born, the family settled in Richland. His father’s career later took the family to England, where they lived for two years before returning to the Tri-Cities.

John attended Christ the King School, Chief Jo Junior High School and graduated from Richland's Columbia High School with the Class of 1972. He graduated from Washington State University with a political science degree and a lifelong devotion to Cougars football.

After graduating, John began his long career in power production, starting at the Hanford Site in Richland before moving on to power plants in San Luis Obispo, CA and Rainier, OR. In 1994, John became Manager of Utility Asset Management at Portland General Electric. Over the next decade, he was known for his deep industry expertise, negotiation style, dispute resolution skills and mentorship. John was a respected and beloved member of the Oregon Joint Use Association where he represented the Joint Use Industry in both legal and regulatory proceedings in Oregon. His work with OJUA transformed the industry.

In 2005, John earned a Master's degree in Business Administration from the University of Oregon and in 2006 completed the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School. John subsequently became Director of several large-scale PGE projects including the Smart Metering Project and the Cascade Crossing Transmission Project. John retired in 2018.

His mantra was "every day is a holiday,” a spirit he exuded until his last breath. He moved through the world with a countenance of ease: never sweating the small stuff, always relishing life’s simple pleasures. John was married to Mary Ellis ('73) from 1991 to 1998, with whom he had two children, Danielle and Conor. After the death of their infant son in 1994, John became actively involved with the Dougy Center, a non-profit dedicated to the support of grieving families. John was a loving and supportive father to his daughter, Danielle, and the two shared a special closeness that was evident to all who knew them.

John met his wife and longtime partner, Janet, in 1999, marrying in 2008. Their love was a sight to behold; heartfelt and playful. They shared many adventures and, together, built their dream house in the Columbia River Gorge. Whether it was traveling across the globe to Thailand, Croatia or Patagonia; or exploring the North Cascades at Ross Lake for the annual family trip, John was up for any adventure. He enjoyed family hunting trips in his dad’s native Montana, golfing with his brother and nephews and spending time at the family cabin near Hood River. John gravitated towards water and adored boating, rafting, water skiing and swimming. It’s possible that John’s greatest gift was in staying connected. No matter the distance or how busy life became, he attended every family wedding, called his childhood friends weekly, sat front row for his daughter’s concerts and was wholeheartedly there for everyone he loved.

The last several years of John's life were burdened by frontotemporal dementia which slowly stole his ability to use language. Even through this, he kept his bright-hearted disposition and became an avid hiker. If you listen closely, I bet you’ll hear his walking stick tapping along the Catherine Creek Trail. He was a man of deep courage and integrity, and an anchor of our community. He will be dearly missed. Somewhere in the great beyond, John is sitting on a dock at golden hour, enjoying a round of cribbage, a chilled beer and taking in the heavenly view.

In honor of John’s memory, please consider giving to the Dougy Center or Trail Keepers.

He was preceded in death by his father, Maurice Francis Sullivan, on November 27, 2001; by his mother, Sheila Sullivan, on June 17, 2020; and by his brother, Kevin Sullivan ('74HHS), on September 23, 2019.

View and sign the guestbook at Anderson's Tribute Center.

Bomber Memorial put together by Shirley COLLINGS Haskins ('66).