Timothy Brian Sullivan

Timothy Sullivan, 71, of Woodland Park, Colorado passed away Tuesday March 7, 2023 at the Penrose Regional Hospital in Colorado Springs and will be buried in St. Mary’s Cemetery in Storm Lake, IA. 

He was born September 29, 1951, in Wichita, KS and resided there for approximately 50 years.  He graduated from Wichita Southeast High School in 1970 and Wichita State University in 1975 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Administration of Justice.  Mr. Sullivan was employed in the law enforcement field for approximately 5 years.  In 1983, Tim again graduated from Wichita State University with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree and was employed by the Boeing Military Airplane Company as a Cost Analyst for approximately ten years.  He then moved to Cheyenne, Wyoming to marry a high school classmate, Marcella L. Crawford on October 5, 2002.  The two had rekindled their friendship at their 30th high school reunion and began courting shortly after.  Tim retired in 2011 as a Wyoming State Auditor. 

Tim and Marcella moved to their rustic log cabin above Woodland Park to explore the Rocky Mountains, ride their ATV’s and enjoy the wild habitat.  Mr. Sullivan was an active member of Our Lady of the Woods Catholic Church as a 4th degree member of the Knights of Columbus and a member of their Honor Guard Team.  

Timothy Sullivan is survived by his wife Marcella; his stepson Jace Goldschmidt (Selene) Avondale, AZ; his sister Mary Flatt of Melbourne, Australia (John); and his two brothers Edward Sullivan (Judy) of Wichita, KS, and Michael Sullivan (Kathryn) of Oklahoma City, OK; and step grandson Aidan.  

Tim is preceded in death by his parents Edward and Gloria Sullivan, and his sister Kathleen Sullivan. 

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to:  Our Lady of the Woods Catholic Church, PO Box 5590, Woodland Park, CO 80866.

Services in Iowa
March 15, 2023
St. Mary's Parish
300 E. 3rd St.
Storm Lake, IA  50588
10:00 am Rosary
10:30 am Funeral Mass

Services in Colorado
Memorial Mass, Our Lady of the Woods Catholic Church, Woodland Park, CO  
March 20th, 2023 at 6 pm

About My Green Irish Rosary - by Tim Sullivan

This Rosary was the most valuable possession I had in this world.  It has served me well and I pray that it has pleased Mother Mary in my use.  This is the story behind the Green Irish Rosary.

In the mid 1980’s, my parents traveled to Ireland for a visit to the old homeland and to do some family genealogy.  While in County Cork, they bought two identical green Irish rosaries’, one for my Dad and one for me.  After their return, I of course thanked them for the present, took it home, put it in my dresser and there it sat to collect Kansas dust. 

In the winter of 1988, my parents were visiting the Scothorn’s (relatives of ours) in Phoenix when they heard of and went to a well-publicized talk on a current Marian Apparition in Yugoslavia.  I know you are well aware of Medjugorie, Joyce.  The lady giving the apparition talk told the audience of several miracles associated with the apparitions, one being visitor’s rosary’s turning the color of gold.  In fact, the lady continued, some rosary’s turn the color of gold at these nationwide talks.  Well, I guess curiosity got the best of my Mom for she quickly reached into her purse, grab her rosary and gave it a quick examination. Low and behold, to Mom’s surprise, her forty year old silver colored rosary, the one she always kept with her in her purse, was now completely the color of gold. 

A few days later, they arrived back in Wichita, called a pow-wow with us kids to tell us all about Medjugorie and show us her gold rosary.  To say she & Dad were ecstatic would be putting it mildly.  A couple of months later, (August of 1988 to be exact) Mom, Dad and I were on a plane to Yugoslavia with a Wichita group we  hooked up with at one of our churches.  The group was run by a couple who had moved to the U.S. from Yugoslavia and were now taking people over to meet the visionary’s and see the now famous sites of Medjugorie.  What luck!  A lot of people were scratching their heads when they heard I was going, not because I was flying to Yugoslavia but because ME with a church group and my Mom and Dad?  Mary?  Yes.  Eddie?  Yes.  Mike?  Yes.  but Big T?  Tim’s the only one to show an interest in Medjugorie and the Blessed Virgin Mary?  What’s going on around here, Twilight Zone?  On the flight over I asked myself that many times.  Oh well.  It will be a great adventure in a primitive world.

(Back in Wichita)

After my return from Medjugorie, for some strange reason, I felt compiled to dust off my green Irish rosary and promised myself and Mother Mary to say it once every day.  Soon, I found myself back in the confessional, (about 2 hours the first time!)  Mass, communion and more prayers.  The changes beginning to occur in my life were not something I was forcing myself to do.  It was more like a wonderful spiritual nudge encouraging me to change my life for the better.  Next, I became a Eucharistic Minister, an Usher and Reader at my local parish church, St. Margaret Mary.  My rosary became an instrument of peace for me.  When I would finish, I felt as though I had taken some pain pills!  Delightfully relaxed.  Friendly to all.     

Thanksgiving Day was fast approaching and I had not thought of the Medjugorie  rosary miracle turning the color of gold once since I had returned.  Like my curious Mom, I went to my bedroom, grabbed my rosary and “what do you know” all the chain links were gold colored.  I immediately dropped to my knees and thanked Mother Mary for the heavenly present knowing whole heartedly that I didn’t deserve one link changing, let alone all of them. 

Today, I am a 4th degree Knight of Columbus and a member of the 4th degree Honor Guard.  Also a member of the “Our Lady of Perpetual Help”

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