Richard Hale Sullivan

Richard H. (Dick) Sullivan was born & raised in Madelia, Minnesota, the 6th and youngest child of Lester and Marie (Hale) Sullivan. He attended catholic school through 10th grade, then at public high school he was very excited to join several athletic teams, including baseball as the catcher, and football as the starting quarterback. He attended college at St. John's from 1949-51 (at first intending to become a physicist) and then transferred to the U of M, graduating in the summer of 1954 with a degree in civil engineering. During college he discovered skiing and would save up to take trips out West with friends, sleeping in the car along the way. After graduating, Richard went to work for MNDOT where he'd had two summer internships and was offered a full time position. It was less than a year later that he heard rumors about being drafted and decided to enlist. He Joined the U.S. Navy as an officer in training in January 1955. He was stationed in Washington D.C. for one year, delivering mail to the Pentagon. He was then stationed in Naples, Italy, also as a courier, and sailed there on a naval ship. While in Naples, he was quite moved to experience opera and symphony performances in the majesty of Roman ruins. He also loved visiting the Isle of Capri and taking trips to ski in the Alps. After his discharge, he returned to his job with the State, building bridges in the Mankato area. Richard worked as a civil engineer for the Minnesota Department of Transportation for 45 years. He loved his work. Around 1959, he moved to the Twin Cities and roomed with a bunch of guys in White Bear Lake. He used the GI Bill to take pilot lessons and bought a small plane with a friend. He also bought a boat to sail on White Bear Lake. The guys would often go out for drinks and steak dinners, and had parties with groups of ladies, one of whom was Mary Jane. She was not immediately interested in dating Dick but couldn't say no to a first date on his two-seater airplane in 1964. By 1966 they were married, in 1969 they bought the house in St. Anthony, where they welcomed son Jay, followed by daughter Elizabeth. Richard continued to enjoy golfing, skiing, tennis, and biking all his life. He especially loved these activities (and many others), with his lifelong friends, including neighbors Dale Gunderson and Jim Bollensen, cousin Don Halunen, and old friends Roger Nelson, Roger Cheatham, Buz Anderson, and Earl McMillan. He would take his family on camping trips in the summers and ski trips in the winters, and although they saw amazing places they would be rather frugal - stopping at a Motel 6 in winter, camping in summer, and Mary Jane would often cook all the meals. Many of these trips were taken with lifelong family friends. In retirement too, adventures were had with friends - notably two bike trips in Europe, and a trip to China. When Mary Jane got sick in 2005, and later passed away in 2013, Richard was by her side every minute with tender loving care. The last 12 years of his life Dick lived alone and lost the ability to do many of his favorite activities. However, he never asked for much and maintained a cheery disposition, enjoying simple pleasures like watching the Vikings and the Twins, keeping an eye on the stock market, and testing his memory by watching Jeopardy and doing crossword puzzles. Although his life was simple, these years were marked by special times with his son and daughter and their families, all of whom absolutely adored him, and will treasure those memories forever. Preceded in death by wife Mary Jane (Sterle), parents Lester and Marie Sullivan, infant sister Catherine, and brothers and in-laws Jim and Kay Sullivan, Jerry and Vera Sullivan, Robert and Phyllis Sullivan, and Ron (Pat) Osborne. Survived by sister Pat Osborne. Leaves two children, Jay (Angie) Sullivan, and Elizabeth (David) Macasaet. Four treasured grandkids, Colin (Bonnie), Elia, Emma, and Alex. Many special nieces and nephews, cousins, friends, and neighbors.

Tributes

Richard Hale Sullivan

October 17, 1931 - November 17, 2025

Tributes

Richard Hale Sullivan

October 17, 1931 - November 17, 2025

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