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Obituary of Kevin Thomas Sullivan
Kevin T. Sullivan, a Regional Property Manager passed away after a short illness on Wednesday morning, November 29, 2023. He was just 55 years old. Kevin was born in Boston. He was one of four children of Thomas and Helen Sullivan. He grew up in Melrose and was a graduate from Malden Catholic High School where he was a member of their Football, Hockey, and Track teams. He furthered his education at Norwich University where he earned a degree in Criminal Science. He was also a member of the college’s Rugby team. He truly enjoyed the university’s experience with the structure and discipline of a military setting. He was a proud alumnus of Norwich University and appreciated the skills and the character building that helped him to succeed. Kevin spent most of his career in property management and real estate. He obtained his real estate brokers license and he worked for multiple property management companies for over 30 years, and he recently took a position with the Boston Housing Authority as a Regional Property Manager. He enjoyed the many challenges of his position and was well respected by his clients and peers. In his leisure time, he was a fan of the Bruins and Patriots, and loved fishing on his boat, and working around his home and yard.
Kevin made his family the center of his universe. He grew up in Melrose in a home filled with Catholic values and virtues. He loved summers spent in West Dennis on Cape Cod. He treasured learning how to sail from his dad and then being his first mate on his sailboat and competing alongside his dad in sailing races. The team won numerous trophies together and that experience was something he always cherished. He met a young woman, Laura Robinson, when they worked together at Bay State Health Care. They married on June 5, 1994, and purchased their family home in Burlington. They made a wonderful couple and raised their children with the same values and morals they were brought up with. Maybe it was from his Norwich days. He encouraged his children to take pride in whatever they did, to always try to be their best, and that faith and family were intertwined. He couldn’t have been prouder of his children as they grew from children to adults. He coached Little League Baseball and youth hockey teams and was always on the sidelines for their soccer, hockey, basketball, lacrosse and football games. He was thrilled to see his daughters play soccer and hockey at St. Anselm College and his son play football at Bentley University. For his children, York Beach was the favorite family summer gathering spot. They will cherish the days at the beach or on his boat fishing, afternoon cookouts, walks to Dunne’s Ice Cream and Nubble Lighthouse, Movie nights, fried clam and lobster dinners. Looking back, those will be special memories that his family will hold dear to their hearts. Kevin was a special man who could find humor in every situation and created a home filled with love and laughter. He was a very loving and generous man and truly a gift to his wife and children. His sudden illness and passing is difficult to accept, but the memories and love he shared with his family and friends will always remain forever.
Kevin was the beloved husband of 29 years of Laura (Robinson) Sullivan. He was the proud father of Kaila Sullivan of Goffstown, NH and her fiancé, Kevin Veilleux, Thomas Sullivan of Lowell, and Margaret Sullivan of Burlington. He was the beloved son of Helen (Murphy) Sullivan of Melrose and the late Thomas Sullivan. He was the caring brother of Marie Sullivan of Virginia, Dan Sullivan of Melrose, and Lisa Ballew & her husband Tyler of Melrose. He was the brother-in-law of Donna & Jim Connolly of Nashua, NH, Chuck and Diana Robinson of Cape Neddick, Maine, Marianne McKenna of Billerica & her late husband Robert, and Bill and Amanda Robinson of Methuen. Beloved son-in-law of the late Charles & Laura Robinson. Kevin was also survived by many nieces, nephews, friends, and his beloved four-legged friend, Buddy.
Visiting hours will be held at the Edward V. Sullivan Funeral Home, 43 Winn St., Burlington on Sunday, December 3 from 4-7pm. Funeral from the Sullivan Funeral Home on Monday, December 4 at 9am, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at St. Margaret Church in St. Veronica Parish, www.stveronicama.org, 111 Winn Street, Burlington at 10am. Services will conclude with a burial at Pine Haven Cemetery in Burlington.
Memorials in Kevin’s name may be made to Catholic Charities Boston, www.ccab.org, 275 West Broadway
Boston, MA 02127.
For online guestbook and video tribute see www.sullivanfuneralhome.net
Thomas Sullivan's Eulogy
First, thank you family and friends for joining us today in remembrance of Kevin Thomas Sullivan. Additionally, a special thank you to Father Stanton for celebrating today’s mass and to Sullivan Funeral Home for hosting my father’s services.
My dad was more than a father; he was our role model, a source of strength, and the embodiment of unconditional love. His presence in our lives was constant; providing warmth and wisdom. We remember his lessons of integrity, hard work, and the importance of family. My dad was the ultimate mentor who led by example, instilling in us the values that would shape our character and guide us through life's challenges. He always encouraged us to do our best and push ourselves beyond what was expected.
Aside from being a fantastic father he was the most devoted husband. He set the bar very high for relationships. Our parents fell in love young and would both agree it was the greatest thing to ever happen to each of them. After five short months of dating, my father knew it was forever and quickly proposed. Our parents were not only a wonderful couple but also the best of friends. They enjoyed just being together even while doing the simple things in life like watching the bruins and patriots, binge watching shows or taking a walk together with our dog Buddy. The joy that Dad found from seeing my mother’s reaction when he would bring home her favorite candy or flowers to surprise her was a true testament to his devotion. He found the most enjoyment from making his family happy.
Despite all obstacles, my father was able to have nearly perfect attendance for all his children’s numerous activities. Whether it was arriving to work early or using vacation time, you could bet that he would be there. It was through our father that we learned resiliency. I distinctly remember when teammates would ask if that was my father in the stands when occasionally he would be the only person watching practice. This was an affirmation of both his character and how lucky we were to have such a supportive father. There was nothing more motivating than seeing our father in the stands mainly because us kids wanted nothing more than to make him proud. He never turned away from a challenge and always did the right thing no matter the circumstances. His character was beyond honorable.
My mother remembers my older sister had to run a 7-minute mile as part of the soccer tryouts as a freshman. All summer long my dad trained with Kaila and then the tryout day finally arrived. My dad woke up early and told my mom he was going to work early. Shortly later my mom got a phone call, it was my dad and he was whispering, “she’s doing it, she’s doing it”. Initially confused my mom then realized he was at the track hiding in the bushes watching Kaila run. Kaila never even knew he was there watching.
My sister Margaret has a fond memory of my dad calling her on her 9th birthday to tell her the two of them were going to the Justin Bieber concert. Furthermore, they were going in style riding in a limousine. Margaret was so excited and proudly wore her “Future Mrs. Bieber” t-shirt. I, on the other hand, treasure the countless fishing trips with my dad on his boat. He loved the ocean and was truly in his natural habitat while fishing.
My dad had the most contagious energy. He enjoyed making us laugh all the time. I think we all will agree that no matter the amount of time you spent with him, he was always a source of laughter. I will never forget when our mom accidentally booked our flight to Fort Lauderdale instead of Fort Myers and we had to rent a tiny car and drive across the state of Florida to get to our actual vacation destination. It only took a matter of minutes for dad to turn a miserable car ride into one of the most memorable parts of the trip. Whether it was telling everyone stories about his precious Norwich days or singing his favorite song from the movie Step Brothers he always had us hanging on his every word.
Dad, we say goodbye too soon. Your time with us may have been short, but the impact you made on our lives and many others will endure. As we carry the weight of grief, let us also carry the light of your spirit—the spirit of a loving father, a kindred soul, and a beautiful presence that graced our lives. Your life was too short but the impact you made on countless lives will be greater than you will ever know. We love you, Dad!
I will end with a quote from an unknown author, “A father is neither an anchor to hold us back nor a sail to take us there but a guiding light whose love shows us the way”.
Edward V. Sullivan
Funeral Home
43 Winn Street
Burlington, MA 01803
Ph: (781) 272-0050