Obituary of Norma Margaret Sullivan

Norma M. Sullivan BANGOR, MAINE and PISQUID, PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND, CANADA Norma Margaret Sullivan passed away peacefully Dec. 21, 2015 at her daughter’s home in Hermon, Maine surrounded by her loving family after a long, arduous struggle with Alzheimer’s Disease. She was born on April 8, 1929 at home in Pisquid, Prince Edward Island, Canada to the late John David and Catherine (MacKinnon) MacDonald. She was the eldest of 11 children growing up on a potato farm where hard work was the only existence known at that time. She moved to Boston, Massachusetts in 1947 and worked for a new upstart company called ‘Polaroid’ for several years. While there, she met her soon to be husband Eugene L. Sullivan who was in the United States Air Force. They were married August 24, 1951 and spent the next 27 years moving around the world to new assignments mandated by the USAF: Nebraska; Wisconsin; Paris, France; Rabat, Morrocco; Maine, Massachusetts; Okinawa, Japan; Colorado; West Virginia; California; and Washington State. She loved the military life of moving every few years; setting up a new home and making more new friends, many who were lifelong friends until her death. Mom, Nana, Mimi was a dynamic, independent, intelligent, loving, caring, kind, and generous to a fault woman who never sat still. She had a great sense of humor and was the best mother any four children could have ever asked for. She loved making us kids laugh and would laugh until tears ran down her face. She loved pulling pranks on us as kids and was the mother everyone in the neighborhood wanted. Known as “My Little Lady” by her grand-daughter Jennifer and as “The Mimster” by her great-grandchildren Aliex and Dalton, she loved those special names. She loved knitting, crocheting, gardening, going out to lunch, shopping, traveling, going for drives, reading, her church, her faith, her friends, and mostly her family. She loved people and never met a stranger. She loved to cook/bake and would make Banana Bread often for family and neighbors. Her clam chowder and stuffed cabbage was the best ever!! She was noted for being an immaculate housekeeper. She loved to travel and enjoyed trips to Ireland, Scotland, and England; a cherry blossom tour to Washington, DC; Maui, Hawaii; Caribbean cruises; numerous trips to Florida; Puerto Vallarta, Mexico; Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; touring the coast of California and visiting her son and his family in Fresno, California; Arizona, Nevada and traveling with her husband Gene up and down the western coast of the United States. She especially loved a church trip to the Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré Shrine, Quebec, Canada. She looked forward to returning to Prince Edward Island, Canada yearly to visit family and friends. She was predeceased by her loving husband of 49 years Eugene, her son David Sullivan, her grandson Scott Johnston, four brothers, George MacDonald, John (Sonny) MacDonald, Foch (Buddy) MacDonald, and Beverly MacDonald and two sisters, Phyllis MacKinnon and Velma MacDonald; numerous aunts, uncles, cousins and dear friends. She is survived by her daughter Deborah (Joseph) Johnston, Hermon, ME; daughter Cheryl Sullivan, Bangor, ME; son Eugene (Sandra) Sullivan, Fresno, CA. Sisters: Vivian (Jackie) Christopher, Ontario, Canada; Lois (Harry) Myers, Ann (Wilfred) Richard, and Beverley (Gerald) MacIsaac, all of PEI, Canada. Grandchildren Jennifer Johnston, Eric Sullivan, Jake Sullivan, Savannah Sullivan, Jaclyn Sullivan, Leslie (Fernando) Maldonado, Dylan Sullivan, Meghan (Jon) Mietchen, Seth Mietchen, and Bryan (Cynthia) Mietchen. Great-grandchildren Aliexandra Johnston, Dalton Buck, Chandler Sullivan, Caden Sullivan, Grace Mietchen and Adrian Maldonado. An incredible woman, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister and aunt has gone and will be dearly missed. She cannot be replaced and there will never be another like her. Anyone who knew her was blessed to have known what a wonderful woman she was. We would like to especially thank Diane James, FNP and Peggy Bush, MA, for their gentle, understanding, loving, kindness over the past 15 years as Mom’s Primary Care Provider and to Clifford Singer, MD and Kate Thibodeau, RNC for their empathy, knowledge and care they provided us through Mom’s debilitating journey. To the 6th floor medical staff at Saint Joseph’s Hospital, the wonderful nurses at Saint Joseph’s Hospice and a special thanks to Father Robert who visited Mom during her time in the hospital. Also to the staff at Winterberry for their care during the past year. She was an extremely devout Roman Catholic and a communicant of Saint Paul the Apostle Parish. Family and friends may visit 9 – 11 AM Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2015 at Kiley & Foley Funeral Service, 299 Union Street, Bangor where a funeral liturgy will be held at 11 AM as the visitation concludes. Interment will be held in the spring. Those attending are encouraged to wear purple for Alzheimer’s awareness and support. In lieu of flowers, those who wish to remember Norma in a special way may make gifts in her memory to the Alzheimer’s Association of Maine, 383 U.S. Route 1, Suite 2C, Scarborough, ME 04074.