Richard Ernest Sullivan

Richard Ernest Sullivan, 74 of Charlestown, RI, passed away on March 1, 2016 after a brief illness. Richard was born in Providence, RI to the late Helen (Hurley) Sullivan of Providence, RI and the late Ernest J. Sullivan of Fall River, MA. Richard grew up in the Gaspee Plateau section of Warwick, RI where he enjoyed working at Cameron’s Drug Store in Pawtuxet throughout high school and his undergraduate and graduate studies at Rhode Island College, where he earned his MAT. The M.Ed. in Educational Research from URI shortly followed. Richard worked as an elementary science teacher in the Warwick school system before going on to earn his Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from the University of Texas, Austin in 1971. Learning and teaching were cornerstones of his life, and the majority of his professional career was devoted to working with aspiring young teachers as an Associate Professor of Education in the URI School of Education for 30 years. Other passions included history and maritime history, and Richard was an original member of the Gaspee Days Committee that celebrated a 50 year milestone last June. In retirement, Richard enjoyed many years of fulfillment volunteering for the Beavertail Lighthouse Museum Association as a docent and later President of the Board and newsletter editor. Richard will be remembered for his tireless contributions to the organization as a researcher and successful grant-writer as well as for his enthusiasm for lighthouse history and mechanics. For the Mystic Seaport he was a docent trained to work on the historic ship “Charles W. Morgan” as well as in their apothecary, and was a member of the Pilots Program for volunteer leaders. For the past 10 years, Richard has held regular office hours at the Westerly, RI Senior Center to counsel elders on how to best utilize their prescription drug plan and choose a supplemental plan through the SHIP program of Medicare, a position which required state certification as well as continuous re-education and training. He will be sorely missed by his many clients and the staff at the Senior Center. He was also a dedicated Trustee of the Board of the Westerly Library and Wilcox Park, as well as an active member of the Park Committee, where he regularly volunteered his time. Earlier, while volunteering for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at Charlestown’s Ninigret Park he researched and documented the history of the Air Corps use of that historic property. An active member of the St. Clare Church choir, the Sonquipaug Neighborhood Association and the RI Tree Council, it is a mystery how he managed to attend so many of his adored grandchildren’s plays, concerts, games and recitals and also found time to ferry them for carousel rides and aquarium visits. Survived by his wife JoAnn (Murray Hammadou), daughters Aileen S. (Sullivan) Zogby and her husband Matthew D. Zogby of Natick, MA, Malika (Hammadou) Stelik and her husband Todd S. Stelik of Carolina, RI, his sister Barbara Sullivan Haskell and her husband Donald B. Haskell of Jamestown, RI, grandchildren Peter and Daniel Zogby, and Maura, Sienna and Cyrus Stelik, mother-in-law Mary Jo (Tippett) Murray of South Kingstown, RI, and many nieces and nephews. Richard and JoAnn loved music and dance as well as travel adventures near and far away, but they were equally content to spend many fine days together at Watchaug Pond with Richard manning the oars, or playing lawn games with family and friends. Family, community, faith, civic engagement, learning and teaching defined Richard’s life and his legacy. Visiting Hours Sunday, March 6, from 3-6 pm at Avery-Storti Funeral Home, 88 Columbia St., Wakefield, RI. Relatives and friends are invited to attend a Mass of Christian Burial on Monday, March 7, 2016 at 10:00 in St. James Chapel, Charlestown, RI. Burial will be private. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Memorial and Library Association of Westerly, RI or the Beavertail Lighthouse Museum Association, PO Box 83, Jamestown RI 02835.