Joan Rose Sullivan

Joan Rose Wixted Sullivan died peacefully on July 26, 2015 at the age of 90. Joan recently lived in Burlington, CT after 30 years in Bonita Springs, Florida. Born in Danbury on April 13, 1925, to Grace and Sylvester Wixted, Joan was the second youngest of 11 and was predeceased by her parents and all of her siblings: Sylvester, Francis, Mary Gorman, Robert, Edwin, Grace Zwyner, William, Leo, Dorothy Kane and Elizabeth Gallagher. She was the beloved widow of State Police Lieutenant William A. Sullivan Sr. (Ret.). Joan is survived by: her son Richard and his wife Karen of Burlington; her son William Jr. and his wife Ann of Milford CT; Grandchildren Jack Sullivan, Annie Sullivan and Richard Sullivan Jr. LT USCG, Martha Collins and her husband Jack; John Sullivan and his wife Mary Kate; five great grandchildren: Colin Sullivan, Brendan and Connor Collins, Casey Sullivan and Brooke Collins; and 40 nieces and nephews and all of their children.

Joan graduated from Danbury High School and Danbury State Teacher’s College where she was a three sport varsity athlete at both schools. She taught school in Easton, Fairfield and Danbury (South Street School) before becoming the physical education teacher and girls’ basketball coach at St. Joseph in Brookfield while living with her family at Hawthorne Cove on Candlewood Lake. Joan was a member of St. Peter’s Church in Danbury while growing up, then St. Joseph’s parish and also St. Leo’s parish in Bonita Springs once moving to Florida. She was a member of: the State Police of Connecticut’s Widows Association and VP of Activities at Eagle Camp in Vershire, Vermont during the 1960’s & 70’s. She was the Rock Star aunt and beautiful loving wife, mother, grandmother and sister as well as the life of the party in the midst of a large loving family.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Thursday, July 30, 2015 10 30 am at St. Peter’s Church, 104 Main Street, Danbury, CT. Actual burial will take place at Naples Crestlawn Memorial Gardens, Naples, Florida during the week of August 3, 2015. The family will receive friends at the Green Funeral Home, 57 Main Street, Danbury, CT on Wednesday, July 29, 2015 between the hours of 5PM and 8 PM. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to St. Paul Catholic High School Girls’ Athletics, 1001 Stafford Avenue, Bristol, CT 06010. For those attending the Mass please wear “a bit o’ the green” in honor of Joan’s favorite holiday. To sign a book of remembrance please visit www.thegreenfuneralhome.com