Daniel J. Sullivan, 79, husband of Mary C. Farrell, of Madison, passed away on Oct. 14 due to complications of pancreatic cancer. His family was by his side.
He grew up in Stoughton, Massachusetts and attended Stoughton High School where he was class president, captain of the football team, and a representative to Boys State. In 1961, he graduated from Harvard University with a bachelor of arts in English and earned his law degree at Columbia Law School in 1964. At Harvard he played on the freshman football team, was a member of the D.U. Club, and acted in student theatrical productions.
He practiced law as a litigator for 50 years in New York City. He worked at Paul, Weiss, Rifkin, Wharton & Garrison; the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of New York under Robert M. Morgenthau and Whitney North Seymour Jr.; Lovejoy, Wasson, Lundgren & Ashton; his own firm Murray, Hollander, Sullivan & Bass; and Christry & Viener (later merged with Salans).
He loved sailing; in 1978, he crossed the Atlantic Ocean from Long Island to the Azores off the coast of Portugal in 17 days in a 32-foot sailboat with three friends. He biked, skied, ran, played tennis, and gardened in Sharon from 1973 to 1995. He was also passionate about history. He was famous for his charming Boston accent, quick smile, eagerness to help others, and easy manner.
With his devoted wife Mary, he created a wonderful life in New York City, Madison, and Stuart, Florida. Though he retired in 2004, he was an integral member of the Madison Charter Review Committee, and worked on town constitution issues. An avid gardener, his garden was featured on multiple Madison Garden Tours—the last occurring in 2018.
Dan was an active member of the tennis community at Madison Beach Club and Sailfish Point (Stuart, Florida). In August 2018, he and his partner won the over-60s men’s doubles tournament at Madison. His wonderful tennis partners and friends helped motivate him through his battle with cancer. Each morning he woke hoping to get out onto the court.
Dan was very engaged with his children, daughter Monique Sullivan Lowitt, her husband Ian Lowitt, granddaughters Natasha and Sabina, and son Gregory Sullivan and his husband David Riley. He warmly welcomed into his life his stepchildren Stephen Rahl, Kaitlin Rahl Brandt, husband Nicholas Brandt, and grandchildren James, Lila, and Finn. He is also survived by two sisters, two brothers, and their spouses.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Dan’s honor can be made to E.C. Scranton Memorial Library, 801 Boston Post Road, Madison CT 06443, Attn: Kari Castelli. Please note the contribution is in honor of Daniel J. Sullivan.
