Maryjo Sullivan
June 30, 1935 ~ April 27, 2026
Born in:
Chicago, IL
Resided in:
Vienna, VA
Maryjo Sullivan, age 90, passed away on April 27, 2026, surrounded by family members who lovingly spent her final hours recounting funny stories, recalling shared experiences, and easing her through a peaceful transition.
Born on June 30, 1935, on the northwest side of Chicago, she was the daughter of the late Hannah (Carr) and Joseph Parks. She is predeceased by three brothers and five sisters. She attended Queen of Angels, St. Patrick High School for Girls, and Loyola University.
She met her husband, Daniel Sullivan, at Loyola in the student lounge playing cards. They were both very good at counting cards. On a warm evening, Dan was out walking with friends, and he saw Maryjo and some friends sitting on the porch in her pajamas, which caused him to burst into laughter at catching her outside in her pj’s. He introduced her to his family as PJ and used that nickname for many years. They married in a blizzard in February 1956, and she wore a satin wedding gown previously worn by her sister’s Pat and Nora. Her sisters Fran and Anne were in the wedding party, in red velvet dresses sewn by their mother. Dan sported a baby blue tuxedo. Maryjo and Dan were married for 63 years, with a relationship built on commitment, friendship, and shared goals. They made each other laugh. Watching a comedy movie with them was sheer joy.
Maryjo was a devoted mother to Terry (Sandi), Mark (Liz), Christine (Chuck), Matt, Leo, and Erin (Eric), raising her children with almost endless good cheer, common sense, and witty sarcasm. She sometimes felt like a general launching troops each morning. She believed in education and let her children know that missing days of school was not an option. She taught the frequent use of “please” and “thank you”. She became a “super fan”, and on weekends she spent her days moving her folding chair from one child’s sporting event to the next. She brought family members to see the Nutcracker Suite, which she announced was ‘our one classy tradition” for Christmas.
She was a caring grandmother to Tim, Amy, Jason, Kyle, Andrew, and Allison. She loved them each very much. She was proud on their many accomplishments, and the people they have become. Her face lit up with joy when she saw them. She appreciated seeing their pictures all around her home. Her great-granddaughters, Ida and Clara, also brought her a special joy.
Maryjo loved to travel to exotic, warm, vacation spots, read mystery novels, see performances at the Kennedy Center, and visit Civil War battlefields. She required her black coffee every morning, never met a pastry or baked good she did not like, and was a devoted fan of JB Fletcher. She was obsessed with the National Zoo Pandas from and an avid watcher of the Panda Cam. If you want to make a make a voluntary contribution in Maryjo Sullivan’s name to the National Zoo please see the link below.
https://nationalzoo.si.edu/support/memorial-gift-honor-form
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My condolences to her family friends and loved ones.
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