EILEEN ANN SULLIVAN

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EILEEN ANN SULLIVAN Eileen Sullivan passed away suddenly at the Victoria Hospital in Winnipeg on Friday, January 17, 2014. Eileen Ann Brien was born August 4, 1921 in St. John's, Newfoundland and took great pride in being a Newfoundlander. Eileen met Neil, her husband of 53 years, in Newfoundland during the Second World War. Neil was deployed as a radio officer on a Royal Canadian Navy Corvette Escort guarding the convoys in the North Atlantic against the German U Boats. In the midst of this turmoil, Neil and Eileen married in May 1943. At the conclusion of the war, Neil and Eileen settled in Dominion City, Manitoba where Neil had grown up. They established Sullivan Electric, an appliance store and an electrical contracting business. The logistical and cultural challenges must have been enormous for Eileen but, to her credit, she persevered and flourished. Our mother was a highly sociable individual who could host a party of 20 plus at the drop of a hat. She developed a passion for curling, won numerous bonspiels and one year skipped a rink at the St. Paul Winter Carnival. Our mother also enjoyed golf and excelled at Scrabble and crosswords. She was ardent in her support of the Liberal Party of Manitoba both in Provencher, her riding in southern Manitoba and later, after they moved to Winnipeg, in Winnipeg South where she worked tirelessly as a DRO at the Polls. Eileen was preceded in death by her husband Neil Sullivan, her son-in-law James Mackay, and her granddaughter Kelly Bruce. Eileen's survivors include her two daughters Maureen Sullivan of Winnipeg and Janice Auvinen of Indianapolis, Indiana; a sister Elizabeth Kelly of St. John's, Newfoundland; grandchildren Donald Bruce, Courtney Mackay and Alexandra Auvinen, and great-grandchildren Randy Bruce, Sarah Bruce and Joshua Redwood. A memorial service will be determined at a later date. May the road rise up to meet you, May the wind be always at your back, May the sun shine warm upon your face; The rains fall soft upon your fields, And until we meet again, May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Jan 21, 2014