Joanne Bernadette Crowley Sullivan
died peacefully on Tuesday, May 28, 2024 at 89 years of age after receiving the Sacraments of Holy Mother Church. Joanne was born on September 28, 1934 to William Patrick and Helen McDonald Crowley. The third of their four children, Joanne and her three brothers Bill, Jim and Jack grew up in Richmond Heights. She was a graduate of St. Luke the Evangelist grade school, St. Joseph’s Academy, and Maryville College and formed lifelong friendships at each school that she cherished to this day. Joanne embraced her faith-based education and remained an active alumna at each of her schools. She lived her school mottos of “Strong Values Strong Women” and “Not I But We”.
Joanne met the love of her life John Francis Sullivan during her high school years and they married on June 15, 1957 while he was serving in the Air Force as a navigator and lieutenant. Joanne’s love of children inspired her to pursue her certification as an elementary school teacher and she taught first at Westchester Elementary School in Kirkwood followed by schools in Biloxi, MS and Merced, CA as she and John moved with the Air Force. After 3 years of service John and Joanne returned to St. Louis to raise their growing family.
Alongside John, Joanne became a devoted member of Ste. Genevieve du Bois parish, serving both in the church and the parish school where all seven of their children attended and graduated. Joanne’s devout faith was her stronghold and she loved attending daily Mass.
Joanne never met a stranger and had the unique gift of making every acquaintance feel like a very dear friend. She loved her weekday Bridge Clubs with the girls, evening Couples Bridge with John, and summer nights at The Muny. Her greatest joy was spending time with her family, celebrating life moments, and cheering on all of her children and grandchildren at their various school and sporting events. Every grandchild knew that their beloved Grammy was their biggest cheerleader alongside of Poppy as their biggest fan.
Loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt, sister-in-law, and friend – Joanne’s legacy of commitment to faith, family and friends lives on through her seven children Tim Sullivan, Michael (Kim) Sullivan, Kevin (Erin) Sullivan, Patti (Mark) Mays, Katie Sullivan, Megan Sullivan and Dan (Lisa) Sullivan, seventeen grandchildren Katie (Kevin) Stremsterfer, Erin, Sean, Danny, John, Kathleen, Megan, Shannon, Brian, Michael and David Sullivan, and Ryan (Marie), Patrick (CC), Daniel (Cecelia), Andrew, Matthew and Maggie Mays, and five great-grandchildren Maia and Addison Stremsterfer and Zachry, Carter, and Maverick Mays.
We’ll miss her joyful enthusiasm, her stories, her spontaneous dance routines and love of musicals, but believe she’s in paradise alongside her beloved husband John asking the angels where they went to high school!
Services: A Memorial Mass and Celebration of Life will be held in Joanne’s honor at Ste. Genevieve du Bois Church, 1575 N. Woodlawn Ave., on Friday, June 7th at 11:00 am with visitation beginning at 10:00 am. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to St. Joseph’s Academy or Ste. Genevieve du Bois Catholic Church.
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