Judge Sullivan loved, served the Church
Kristin Lukowski of The Michigan Catholic
Published August 18, 2006
Detroit – Judge Joseph A. Sullivan was a gentle man who loved the Church and was proud to provide it legal counsel, said family and friends. He is being remembered following his death Aug. 11 at St. John Hospital in Detroit at age 86.
Sullivan | Judge Sullivan, a native of the east side of Detroit, was most proud of his service as an attorney for the Archdiocese of Detroit. "Judge Sullivan loved the Church and loved its mission," said friend and Mercy Sr. Mary Korb, who was formerly the director of the archdiocesan Department of Finance and Administration and now runs the archdiocesan cemeteries.
Judge Sullivan attended St. Catherine High School on the city's east side, where he was a pitcher for the school's baseball team. Msgr. Peter Lentine, now pastor of St. Philomena Church, Detroit, where Judge Sullivan was a member, was the team's catcher.
"He was a good pitcher," Msgr. Lentine remembers. "Good curve, good fastball, good control."
Msgr. Lentine remembers that Judge Sullivan was quiet, but well-respected and well-liked by all.
After high school, Judge Sullivan attended the University of Detroit until he entered the Army Air Corps during World War II, where he was a cryptographer assigned to a unit in Asia for more than two years.
While overseas, he met his future brother-in-law and played on the camp baseball team. It was while on that team that he twice in one game struck out future Detroit Tigers star Hank Greenberg.
After his service, Judge Sullivan returned to the University of Detroit, where he worked as a reporter and sports editor for the student newspaper Varsity News. He then became involved in the trade union movement as a reporter and later editor for the Wage Earner, a publication of the Association of Catholic Trade Unions.
He graduated in 1946, before pursuing a law degree from the U of D Law School, which he received in 1948. He spent a year in private practice, was married to Elizabeth (Betty), and was then appointed as assistant prosecuting attorney for Wayne County and a principal trial attorney, where he served from 1950 to 1955.
Msgr. Lentine remembers that Judge Sullivan was always questioning things and looking for opinions.
"I admired him because he considered the law to be supreme," he said.
Judge Sullivan was appointed as Michigan's assistant attorney general in 1955 and as deputy attorney general from 1956 until his appointment to Wayne County Circuit Court in 1958, for which he also served as chief judge from 1967 to 1975. During his tenure as judge, he also led the Most Holy Trinity Free Legal Aid Clinic.
He was involved with the National Conference of Metropolitan Courts, and the National Center for State Courts, and taught trial practice and procedure at U of D School of Law for several years.
Judge Sullivan, who was known for his no-nonsense but respectful courtroom, entered private practice in 1976 when he joined the Detroit law firm of Bodman, Longley & Dahling (now Bodman LLP), where he was the lead attorney representing the Archdiocese of Detroit from 1982 to 1987.
"Joseph Sullivan made many lasting contributions to Bodman during his 21 years with the firm," said Larry R. Shulman, chairman of Bodman LLP. "His work on behalf of the archdiocese, and all of his clients, was exemplary. In addition to being a great lawyer he was a loyal partner, a good friend, and a wise mentor to many young attorneys. We will miss him greatly."
He served as personal counsel to both Cardinal Edmund Szoka and then Cardinal Adam Maida. "I offer prayerful condolences to the family of the late Hon. Joseph A. Sullivan, former lead attorney for the Archdiocese of Detroit," Cardinal Maida said. "As we mourn his passing, we give thanks to God for his tireless efforts on behalf of justice and the common good, and especially for his generous concern for the well-being and status of the Church.
"He was a true gentleman; a wise and prudent jurist; articulate, insightful, and witty; reliable and steadfast at all times; a man of faith who saw the vital connection of Gospel and daily living. I will miss his wise counsel and friendship."
Sr. Korb added that the archdiocese "benefited significantly from Judge Sullivan's experience on the bench after he was named general counsel."
Judge Sullivan also received the University of Detroit's Alumnus of the Year Award in 1994.
He retired in 1995.
Msgr. Lentine. Msgr. Lentine said he got to know his old friend again as a lawyer and a judge in the past 10 years or so.
"I always felt inspired and intellectually energized as a result of our conversations and lunches together," he said.
Msgr. Lentine also remembers that he had help from Judge Sullivan in the past, bringing to justice people who had broken into a church building.
Msgr. Lentine visited his friend of more than 60 years during his latest illness, and anointed him a few times. He said Judge Sullivan had tremendous, around-the-clock support from his family.
"I lost a good friend," Msgr. Lentine said. "I'm going to miss him."
Judge Sullivan was predeceased by his wife, Elizabeth (Betty), in 1998; they had been married for 49 years. The couple had 10 children, four of whom followed his passion for law – including Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Brian Sullivan – and six who followed his passion for journalism into the communications field.
His children are Mary Beth (David) Calandro; Jane (Robert) Colombo; Joseph G. (Cathy); Kevin (Kristin); Brian (Tracy); Thomas; Anne (Rudy) de Leon of Arlington, Va; James (Laura); Elizabeth Laurie (Leo) Sullivan-Nishio of San Francisco, Calif; and Stacey (Karl) Zuk of Katonah, N.Y. Also surviving are 22 grandchildren and sister Mary Sullivan. He was also predeceased by sister Anne Gennette and his brother, Robert Sullivan.
A funeral Mass was Wednesday at St. Clare of Montefalco Parish in Grosse Pointe Park. He was to be interred at Mount Olivet Cemetery.
Donations to Pregnancy Aid, 17325 Mack Ave., Detroit 48224 or The Capuchin Monastery, 1740 Mount Elliott Ave., Detroit 48207, or to Holy Trinity Catholic Church, 1050 Porter St., Detroit 48226.
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