Patricia Ann (Zurawski) Sullivan, 95, passed away July 28, 2026, at her home. Patricia was the youngest daughter of Vincent and Marie Zurawski. Born September 17, 1930, Patricia grew up in Springfield, Illinois, surrounded by her sister Rose and many aunts and uncles. She married John William Sullivan on May 28, 1955.

Patricia attended Sacred Heart Academy High School in Springfield and graduated as a registered nurse from St. John's Nursing School in Springfield in 1952. She worked as an RN in Springfield and Chicago before marrying John and later worked at Paris Community Hospital. Once her children were older, she returned to nursing and continued to earn advanced nursing certifications, including trauma nurse specialist, before retiring in 1994.

Patricia was a woman of unwavering faith. She was a member of St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in Brocton until the church closed in 1995 and later attended St. Michael's Catholic Church in Hume. Her Catholic faith was her strength and her focus throughout her life, and she was particularly devoted to the Blessed Mother.

Patricia is survived by six children: Terence Sullivan of Kansas, Illinois; William Sullivan of Brocton, Illinois; Margaret Sullivan Juscius (Mark Juscius) of Swansea, Illinois; Debra Sullivan of Overland Park, Kansas; Mary Grace Sullivan of Alhambra, Illinois; and Elizabeth Sullivan (Michael Apgar) of Southaven, Mississippi; son-in-law Jim Hennegan; and daughter-in-law Lori Skinner Sullivan Rhodes. She is also survived by nine grandchildren, ten great-grandchildren, and many beloved nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, John; daughter Kathryn Marie (Sullivan) Hennegan; son Thomas Gerard Sullivan; her parents; and her sister, Rose Graves.

Pat was born prematurely and was kept warm in a shoebox in the oven. Her growing years were shaped by the Great Depression and World War II. Orphaned at a young age, she was fortunate to be surrounded by a caring community of Catholic nuns whose love and guidance helped shape the woman she would become.

She and John met on a double date at the Illinois State Fair while she was studying at St. John's. He fell in love when her hat flew off on the Ferris wheel and she didn't make a fuss. They made a perfect team: he could always make her laugh, and she remained calm in any crisis. After graduation, Patricia moved to Chicago for work, but John tracked her down to make her his wife.

A city girl transplanted to the country, Pat learned gardening, canning, and the ways of farm life from the lifelong friends she made through the ladies' Home Extension. She was kept busy with her large, active family, the Catholic Church, the Home Bureau, 4-H, her neighborhood, and many other local organizations. She embraced country life and thrived. She loved her garden, the farm animals, and peaceful mornings on the farm listening to birds, watching squirrels, and, as she often said, "contemplating the sounds of nature."

Patricia had a natural gift for nurturing and healing. Her soft hands could soothe and comfort people, animals, and plants alike. She never met a stranger and became a caregiver to all and a second mother to many.

She was happiest in the sunshine, tending her garden. Gifted with a green thumb, she often said she could see the face of God in her flowers. Her gardens flourished under her care, and her baking was second to none.

Even in her last days, Pat kept a heart full of gratitude and appreciation. She faced the end as she had lived her whole life—with confidence, courage, unwavering faith, and a wonderful sense of humor.

Whether tending a patient, a flower bed, or a worried heart, Pat, with her gentle hands and quiet faith, left every life she touched a little stronger, a little brighter, and a little more loved.

If you were lucky enough to have known her, then you knew an angel on earth.

Visitation will be from 9:30AM to 10:30AM on Thursday, August 6, 2026 at Stewart and Carroll Funeral Home. Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11:00AM on Thursday, August 6, 2026 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Paris with Father Aloysius Ndeanaefo officiating. Interment will follow in St. Mary’s Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to St. Michael’s Catholic Church in the form of masses for Patricia Sullivan or the building fund, Hume, Illinois, or Edgar County Animal Shelter, Paris, Illinois.

For more information and online condolences please visit www.stewartandcarrollfuneralhome.com