It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Nancy Sullivan. Nancy passed away at age 69 after a brief illness in Virginia Beach, VA. She was surrounded and held by her family.
Nancy was born on June 15th, 1952 in Newport, RI to Ruth (Steadman) and Frank Norlin. Nancy was a proud 5th Warder and attended Newport Public Schools. She graduated from Rogers High School in 1971. While attending the University of Rhode Island, she worked in the food service department of Newport Hospital. Nancy made friends wherever she went, but she developed a special lifelong bond with her college friends. She graduated in 1975 with a degree in Education.
After graduation, she began her teaching career substituting at various schools in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. She became a full-time teacher at St. Joseph of Cluny School in Newport. Her love of teaching and her students never faded throughout her almost 30-year tenure. She guided her students, helping them “sail through” the 3rd grade. In her later years, she would encounter many of her former students around town, and it seemed that all of them had been her favorite. Nancy’s dedication was apparent to all and she was made an affiliate of the Cluny sisters, a true honor.
In 1978, Nancy married Bill Sullivan. They had two wonderful daughters, Susan and Stacy, and 43 happy years together. Nancy loved playing sports; Softball in her younger years, winning many Newport Co-Ed Volleyball championships with friends in the city league, and later playing golf with many more great friends, She was very proud of the two hole-in-one’s she made in her golf career.
Her grandson, James was a light in her life, and she loved spending time with him, teaching him, playing, and telling stories. They had many tea parties, chess games and other adventures.
Nancy and Bill had a wonderful life and enjoyed golfing, traveling and parties with all their family and friends over the decades. Nancy was an animal lover and had many dogs and cats, most recently her two goldendoodles Murphy and Molly. She was a beautiful, kind person with an easy-going personality and a love of laughter. She had many, many friends and will be missed by them all.
She is survived by Bill, her husband of 43 years, her daughters and sons-in-law, Susan and Christopher VanLoenen, and Stacy and Sean Willard, her grandson James VanLoenen, her sister Susan Norlin, her niece Jenny Abraham, her sister and brother-in-law, Linda and Bill Brooks, her nephew Will Brooks. She is also survived by her much-loved cousins, the Ripas and the Warners.
There will be a memorial service held in the spring in Newport, RI.
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