John Paul Sullivan, resident of Edgartown, devoted family man, avid golfer, distinguished legal mind, and consummate professor, passed away on Nov. 27, 2023. Born in Boston on May 23, 1931, to Marjorie Doherty and John Patrick Sullivan, he was the first son in the family, and brother to Dr. Philip Richard Sullivan of Sherborn.
Raised on the Arborway in Jamaica Plain, John excelled academically, graduating from Boston Latin School in 1948, and later earning the title of valedictorian at Boston College in the class of 1952. His legal journey led him to Georgetown Law Center, where he served as the editor of the Law Journal.
John cherished his family, friendships, community, theology, music, sports, and the law. John and Mary’s commitment to service was evident in their roles as founders of the Roxbury Weston Nursery School, the longest-running intentionally diverse preschool program in the country, as well as their active involvement in Weston and Edgartown. John served as a Weston town selectman, dedicating his time to various community efforts, including the early days of the Weston Forest. In Edgartown, he served at the Duke’s County Courthouse, supported the Sheriff’s Meadow Foundation, and served on the Edgartown Yacht Club membership committee. John had a thoughtful way of crafting constructive change, and kind courage in his pursuit of doing the right thing.
He was a passionate golfer, who claimed to have shot his age at 84, and won several Edgartown Golf Club tournaments, thanks to well-matched partner pairings. In his early days, you could find him on the squash or tennis court. As a fan, you could find him shouting at the TV at a close Patriots, Red Sox, Celtics, or Boston College game. He was a lifelong learner, teaching constitutional history until he was 90 years old. Some of his happiest moments in his later years were the afternoons shared with friends and fellow thinkers around the long table at the Edgartown Reading Room.
John Paul, often referred to as simply “Judge,” loved the law, learning it, teaching it, building arguments, trying cases, as well as presiding over them. His illustrious legal career included roles at Dow Lohnes, George Washington University, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Foley Hoag, and the Massachusetts Superior Court, where he served as a justice for two decades. Even after retirement from the court, he continued to contribute as special counsel at Mintz, running the litigation training program well into his 80s. As a side gig, John served on the faculties of Harvard, Suffolk, and Boston College law schools throughout his life in the Boston legal community.
John Paul Sullivan’s legacy will endure through the love he shared with his family and friends, his impact on the communities he touched, and the memories of his quirky wit.
He was a devoted husband to Mary Maud Maines Sullivan, who predeceased him in 2020, and was a loving father to Clare Marie Sullivan of Cambridge and Edgartown, Philip Doherty and Charlene Fujitani Sullivan of Barrington, R.I., and Naples, Fla., Laura Briel and Stephen Arthur Ethridge of Pass Christian, Miss., and Edgartown. His pride extended to being a grandfather to Mikieh Maines Sullivan and Sokichi Jack Sullivan, and a step-grandfather to Briggs Walker and William Dryden Ethridge. He was a beloved uncle and cousin, and a friend to many across the communities he called home throughout his life, which included Boston, Washington, D.C., Weston, and Edgartown.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to Roxbury Weston Preschool (roxwest.org), or to Island Housing Trust (ihtmv.org). Services will be held on Saturday, Jan. 27, at 1 pm at St. Julia’s Church in Weston, followed by a reception at Weston Arts and Innovation Center, and on Sunday, June 2, at the Edgartown Yacht Club.
Please visit chapmanfuneral.com for online condolences and information.
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