Joan Louise Sullivan

1932 - 2020

SAN DIEGO — Joan Louise Sullivan of San Diego, California, died peacefully on December 16, 2020 at Nazareth House of San Diego. She was 88 years old.

The eldest of four children of Nicholas and Esther Meyer, Joan was born and raised in south Minneapolis, Minnesota. She attended grade school at Hale and Resurrection and graduated in 1949 from the Academy of Holy Angels.

Joan earned her nursing degree from the College of St. Catherine in Saint Paul, Minnesota and began a nursing career that would eventually span 50 years, beginning at the Veterans Hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota and in Minneapolis. She went on to hold nursing positions in San Diego and Yerington, Nevada. Her passion was in geriatrics, where she took pride in providing compassionate care for the elderly. Joan worked for nearly 15 years at Nazareth House of San Diego where she eventually returned to live out the last months of her life. There she received exceptional care from the dedicated staff and had the blessed opportunity to reconnect with former colleagues and Sisters. She attended daily Mass service and enjoyed the activities.

Joan had a spirit for adventure early on. In her 20s she embarked on a long road trip from Minneapolis to San Diego with her fellow nurse and good friend, the late Mary Jo Jablinski. It was in California where she met her future husband to whom she would be married for 54 years until his death.

Joan married Eugene Thomas Sullivan, on August 30, 1958 at the Church of the Resurrection in Minneapolis. They raised five children in San Diego, before retiring to rural Yerington, Nevada in 1992. Joan and Gene later returned to San Diego in 2009.

Joan was a dedicated and loving wife, mother, sister, aunt, grandmother, friend and neighbor. She was actively involved and ever curious about her children’s schools, activities and other pursuits. She was an active member of the Robert Louis Stevenson PTA, held yard duty and other positions at her children’s schools, and was a volunteer for the

Brownies, Girl Scouts, and Boy Scouts. Joan could be found in the bleachers or in the snack bar while in attendance at countless softball, baseball, football games and tournaments. She hand sewed her daughters’ dance costumes, cheerleading uniforms and marched with them in local holiday parades. Neighbors looked forward to her annual Christmas cookie plate. Joan would faithfully drive the family’s Volkswagen bus to La Jolla Shores or Mission Bay Park most days every summer, spending long hours picnicking and supervising her children swimming in the surf. She was a devoted and creative grandmother, often playing for hours on the floor with dolls and games. She cherished reading to her grandchildren. Joan was a consummate gift giver and loved to bargain shop. Her daughters proudly carry on both traditions.

Throughout her life, Joan was known for her resilience, good nature and wit. She maintained enduring relationships with close friends and family and she never forgot a birthday, always making sure to send a note to mark their occasion. Joan was a voracious reader and kept current on local and national affairs. She enjoyed traveling and visiting and was always curious how others were doing. Together with

Gene, she enjoyed many road trips, including a special sibling trip to Canada. She regularly traveled to her daughters’ homes and was able to enjoy a spectacular Alaskan cruise with Laura and Shelley in her later years. Despite the tragic and untimely deaths of her two young sons, Joan remained resilient and continued to live a life full of love and compassion for others, especially the less fortunate.

Joan is survived and her daily presence will be missed by her daughters Shelley, Kimberly, and Laura; sons-in-law, Martin Schroeter and Steffan Ho; grandchildren, Allison, Madeline, Olivia and Emily; brothers Gerald (Kathleen) Meyer; Thomas (Christine) Meyer; sister Barbara (James) Stepnes; sisters-in-law, Mary Alice Litten and Audrey Sullivan; and many nephews, nieces, and dear friends.

Joan is preceded in death by her husband Gene, her sons Stephen and David, her parents Nicholas and Esther, and many extended family members and dear friends.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a memorial donation to the American Cancer Society, the Humane Society or another non-profit of your choosing.