John William Sullivan, 91, passed away Jan. 2, 2020, with his loving wife, Patricia Ann (Zurawski) Sullivan, by his side. John was the eldest son of John Bernard Sullivan and Grace (McKeever) Sullivan. Born Feb. 11, 1928, John was raised on a farm outside of Brocton, IL and married Patricia on May 28, 1955.

As a young man, John attended the Golden Rule schoolhouse and boarding school of Marmion Military Academy in Aurora, IL before joining the U.S. Army.  His first military appointment was attending Clemson University then serving in the Philippines as a Cartographer.

John retired as a math and science teacher at Shiloh High School in 1988. He taught at New Baden, Redmon grade school and Brocton High School before Shiloh was built. He was a life-long farmer and loved all animals.  Newborn animals in the spring brought a thrill to John each and every year.

John's Catholic was very important to him, he was life-long member of St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in Brocton, IL until the church closed in 1995 and was a member of St. Michael's Catholic Church in Hume, IL.  He was a life member of the Knights of Columbus Council 860 of Paris.

John is survived by his wife Pat; six children, Terence Sullivan of Kansas, IL; William Sullivan of Brocton, IL; Margaret Sullivan Juscius (Mark Juscius) of Swansea, IL; Debra Sullivan of Overland Park, KS; Mary Grace Sullivan of Alhambra, IL; and Elizabeth Sullivan (Michael Apgar) of Southaven, MS; son-in-law Jim Hennegan; daughter-in- law Lori Skinner Sullivan.  He is also survived by nine grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his daughter Kathryn Marie (Sullivan) Hennegan and son Thomas Gerard Sullivan; his parents John and Grace; his sister, Mary Jane Rhodes; and his brother James Sullivan. John was blessed with many wonderful nieces and nephews.

John was a humble and loving husband and father. No place on earth made him happier than being on his farm. He always had a song in his heart, a poem in his pocket and a riddle or joke for every occasion. He loved to write letters to his children filled with so much imagery and humor – and magnificently bad spelling - that they are worthy of publication. His idea of a perfect family trip would involve walking the state fairgrounds or going to a horse auction. He loved his horses, adored baby goats, and he raised the same family of sheep for more than 80 years before going into semi-retirement from farming. After retirement he remained active and still ran, rather than walked, everywhere he went.

Memorials may be made to LuMind IDSC Foundation, the International Down Syndrome Foundation, at http://lumindidsc.org/donate

Following cremation Mass of Christian Burial will be 11 a.m., Friday January 10, 2020 at St. Mary's Catholic Church with Rev. Fr. Valery Burusu and Rev. Fr. Aloysius Okey Ndeanaefo as concelebrants. Burial will be in St. Mary's Cemetery in Paris, IL.

Visitation will be from 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. Friday in the gathering space of the church.

For more information and online condolences please go to www.stewartandcarrollfuneralhome.com