Thomas Alfred Sully, Jr., 92, passed away on September 7, 2023 at The Chateau of Moorings Park in Naples, FL. Tom was a great, great grandson of the famous portrait painter, Thomas Sully, who painted five United States presidents and whose portrait of Andrew Jackson is replicated on the $20 bill.
Born in NYC, Tom was raised in Charlottesville, VA. He graduated Cum Laude from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. There he was active in ROTC, student government, varsity track, and the Beta Theta Pi fraternity. Tom continued his education, graduating from the University of Virginia School of Law. It was there that he met his future wife of 52 years, Anne Elizabeth Dudley (nee Butler). Following law school, Tom served in the United States Air Force in the Judge Advocate General's Corps. He was stationed at Pinecastle/McCoy Air Force Base as part of the Strategic Air Command, which today is the Orlando International Airport. Following active duty, Tom remained as a Reserve officer while beginning a career in banking. With his training in Law, Tom worked in wealth management, specifically trust administration and investment services.
Tom worked for the Virginia National Bank in Norfolk, Elizabeth's home town, then on to Richmond at the Virginia Trust Company. He spent his last decade or more with The Bank of America in Naples. Upon retirement from the Bank, Tom continued as an active 40+ year member of the Rotary Club of Naples and, with Elizabeth, loved visiting clubs abroad. Tom served on the boards of the Friends of the Library, the Community Foundation, the Conservancy and many other worthy organizations. Tom worshiped and served in leadership at Trinity By-The-Cove Episcopal Church.
Tom was a man of great integrity, an affable, gracious and thoughtful gentleman who was admired by all who knew him. He was an avid reader who loved history. His library, both in Naples and at their summer residence in Charlottesville numbered in the thousands. In his younger years, Elizabeth would describe him as a "walking encyclopedia." He began every day reading the Wall Street Journal and invested wisely. Tom loved the conviviality of friends, especially on his birthday, St. Patrick's Day.
Tom was preceded in death by his wife, Elizabeth, whom he cared for till her passing. Tom was also preceded in death by his sister, Joanne Sully Tague, step-daughter, Anne Bradstreet Dudley, and his parents, Thomas Sully, Sr. and Alma Sully. He is survived by his children Sarah Sully Cole (Bill) of Thetford Center, VT, Thomas Sully III of Nashville, TN, and stepson, Ted Dudley (Dulce) of Naples, FL. He is also survived by two granddaughters, three step-grandsons and 6 step-great-grandchildren. Additionally, Tom is survived by his "sweetheart," Varick Niles, with whom he shared joyful companionship for the last decade of his life.
A memorial service will be held at Trinity by the Cove Church at a later date. A graveside internment service will be held at the family gravesite at Forrest Lawn Cemetery in Norfolk, VA. Memorial donations may be made to Trinity-By-The-Cove Church in Naples.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.hodgesfhatnaplesmg.com for the Sully family.
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