John Lloyd Sunderland, 94, of Portsmouth, RI, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by his family on October 13, 2024. He was born on September 3, 1930, in Newport, RI. John had an exuberant enjoyment of life and a wry sense of humor.
John is survived by his wife Lucy with whom he shared 69 years of marriage. and his seven children: John Sunderland, Jr. of Bristol, RI, Patricia Ann Slaby of Middletown, RI, Mary Naylor of Newport, RI, Catherine Sunderland of Bristol, RI, Susan Cook of Portsmouth, RI, Margaret O’Hara, of Lowell, MA and Laura Logan of Middletown, RI. He was a grandfather of 14 and a proud great-grandfather of 11. John was preceded in death by his father, James Sunderland, Sr., a Navy musician, his mother, Eileen (Nee Curran) Sunderland and his brothers, James Sunderland, Jr., and Joel Sunderland, and his great-granddaughter Quinn Donnelly as well as his son-in-law Winston Cook.
For his education, John attended Christian Brothers in Cuba and St. Joseph’s in Newport for primary school. He then went on to De La Salle Academy in Newport for high school. John furthered his education at Wentworth Institute, where he earned a degree in Civil Engineering.
John proudly served in the Coast Guard from 1950 to 1953, before receiving an honorable discharge.
Throughout his career, John worked as a project manager for Dimeo, Gilbane, Hart, and Molony and Rubien Construction Companies. In retirement he lectured, collected donations, worshipped, and served as property manager of St. Barnabas Church. He also diligently checked the church and chapel nightly along with his beloved pups, Bert, then Bailey, for many years.
In his free time, John had a great passion for reading non-fiction books. These commonly included histories, memoirs, and books about surviving under extreme conditions. John, harnessing his love of building, constructed his own home (with help from his father-in-law) and even his own boat. He loved all things nautical, including fishing, spearfishing, and chartering his Mermaid’s Tavern, a boat that went on to have several iterations over the years. In his younger days, John loved to hunt deer and rabbits, a testament to his skill as an outdoorsman.
John will be dearly missed by his family, friends, and all those who were fortunate enough to know him. May perpetual light shine upon him.
Visitation will be held on Monday October 21st from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM in St. Barnabas Church, 1697 East Main Road, Portsmouth. A Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 11:00 AM.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Connors Funeral Home, 55 West Main Road, Portsmouth, RI.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to The Missionaries of Charity (The Sisters of Mother Teresa) 556 County St, New Bedford, MA, 02740
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