Daniel J. Sullivan
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Published in Amherst Bulletin on July 25, 2020
Daniel Joseph Sullivan of Proctorsville, VT passed away peacefully at the age of 79 on July 18 in Winchester, MA.
Dan was a farm boy at heart, born to a big, loving Irish family and raised on a farm in Amherst, MA. The baby of the family, he was adored by his eight older brothers and sisters, and later by all his nieces and nephews with whom he remained close throughout his life. Dan was an adventurer, master tinkerer, and inventor. He loved to build, create and problem-solve and could often be found rigging a do-it-yourself solution or creation. He loved the outdoors and pursued everything from rock climbing, hiking, flying planes, riding motorcycles, skiing, and boating. But above all else, he loved his family and friends. He earned their trust, never broke it, and made the people in his life feel loved and safe.
Dan met his wife of over fifty years, Maria Phillips, while out with his best friend, Jim, at a piano bar. They would spend their life together with their two daughters, Trina and Brydie, skiing in Vermont, boating at the beach, and traveling the world. We are comforted to know he is with his daughter Trina and other dear family and friends now. Dan and Maria fell in love with a farmhouse in Italy where they lived many years of their retirement, renovating their home, hosting friends from afar, and connecting with local friends who became lifelong, dear companions who still visit and skype. Dan adored his two grandsons, Felix and Linus, and spent so much of their early years taking them on adventures in California, Utah and Vermont. They learned to ski and fish with their Pop Pop and will miss him dearly. He wanted to ski with them for many years to come, but was cruelly slowed down by a diagnosis of ALS over a year ago and which ultimately took him from us.
The family held a private mass and funeral services due to the difficulty of safely traveling and gathering together at this time. Arrangements were made by Molloy Funeral Home in West Hartford, CT.
We invite you to join us for a virtual celebration of Dan’s life to be held on his birthday, August 16 at 3:00 pm. For more information, please contact Brydie or Maria. If you would like to make a donation in Dan’s memory, we are grateful to the following organization for their support in managing and living with ALS: Compassionate Care ALS (https://ccals.org/donate/).
To Plant Memorial Trees in memory, please visit our Sympathy Store.
