Sister Jon Julie Sullivan went peacefully home to her good God on August 10, 2022, at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston after suffering a stroke. She was 82 and had been a Sister of Notre Dame de Namur for 64 years.
She was born Eleanor Janice Sullivan in 1940 in Cambridge to parents John David Sullivan and Doris (Cline) Sullivan.
She entered the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur in 1957, and was an excellent teacher for many years. She taught at Holy Rosary in Lawrence, St. Mary’s School in Lawrence, Cardinal Cushing Central High School in South Boston and St. Mary’s School in Lynn, Massachusetts.
She served as a counselor at St. Gregory’s Church in Dorchester and served in campus ministry at Framingham State College and Emmanuel College in Boston.
She was a program consultant in religious education and lecturer. Active in the community, Sister Jon Julie volunteered in social service outreach for Project Hope Family Shelter in Dorchester, pastoral care and advocate at the Notre Dame Long Term Care, and the community coordinator for the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur in Ipswich.
She also served at the Carmelite Monastery, NDLTC, Notre Dame Education Center of Boston, and the SNDdeN in Wakefield.
Sister Jon Julie touched the lives of all she met in the classroom, in the healthcare facilities, and beyond. She was a very talented and creative woman. She shared her creativity with others through her gift of photography. Jon had a great way with words and symbols, which made her reflections and workshops so memorable.
She was predeceased by her siblings: John David Sullivan, Daniel Richard Sullivan, Doris Louis Vargus, John Edward Sullivan, Barbara Ann Sullivan, Thomas Edward Sullivan, Mary Emily Sullivan, and Brian Christopher Sullivan.
She is survived by her brother, Francis Michael Sullivan; numerous nieces and nephews; her sisters and associates in the Notre Dame community; and her many friends and former students.
Sister Jon Julie’s Mass of Christian burial was celebrated on Monday, August 22, 2022, Our Lady Queen Chapel in Ipswich, Mass, and she is interred at the Notre Dame Cemetery in Ipswich.
To make a gift to the Sisters in memory of Sister Jon Julie, please click here.
A few examples of Sister Jon Julie's poetry, reflections and photography appear below.