On February 4, 2024, a beautiful sunset hundreds of miles away was shown in the sky as Joseph 'Joe' W. Sullivan passed away at his home in Kennewick. In the days leading up to his death, he enjoyed attending Gonzaga basketball games, socializing with friends and family, and sharing with others how excited he was to go to Ireland this June with his family.

Joe was born on February 16, 1944, and was raised in Dublin Gulch in Butte, Montana, by his parents, Ida and Rob Smith. He graduated from Boy's Central Catholic High School in Butte, Montana, where he met his wife, Marijo O'Leary, who attended Girl's Central Catholic High School. He graduated from Carroll College in Helena, MT. Joe married Marijo O'Leary in 1967 in Butte, MT. They moved to Boston, MA, after they were married, where he continued his studies at Boston College, earning a master's degree. In 1969, they moved to Kennewick, WA, where Joe accepted a teaching job, and they resided there ever since. In 1978, he built a house on Elliot Lake where his family enjoyed lake-life living for several decades. The house had an expansive yard where he spent countless hours tending to the landscape. Throughout this time, he spent many years as a middle school teacher and coach, a middle school vice principal, and an elementary school principal at various schools within the Kennewick School District.

He enjoyed the friendships of colleagues he had known for decades along with their hobbies, which consisted of ski trips, playing basketball or golf, helping one another with projects, and, in later years, playing poker, reading, watching sports, regular lunch outings, and swapping jigsaw puzzles.

During all of life's adventures, his wife Marijo suffered a massive brain hemorrhage in 1988 that shaped him as a person for the next 32 years, until her passing in November 2020. Over the course of these years, they attended concerts, dinners, and various trips as they both worked tirelessly to live their lives in spite of Marijo's limitations. He especially enjoyed being a wonderful father to his three children and grandchildren, who could share stories over the years of his impact on their lives. Growing up with limited resources, he worked hard to build the life he created, and he expected his children and grandchildren to do the same. In August of 2022, he moved from his lake house to a house on a golf course.

Joe will be buried in Butte, Montana, where the sky is as expansive as his hopes and dreams all those years ago. He will be dearly missed by so many.

Joe is survived by his three children: Patrick Sullivan (Robin) of Benton City, WA; Joelle Sumner of Kennewick, WA; and Dawn Connor (Trent) of Vancouver, WA, one brother: Jim "Red" Sullivan of Butte, MT, sister-in-laws Nancy Sullivan of Rocker, MT, Rosalie O'Leary (Steve McGee) of Seattle, WA, Patty Higinbotham of Butte, MT, and four grandchildren: Sophia, Mitch, and Miles Sumner, Quinn Connor, numerous nieces and nephews, and Craig Sumner.

Joe is preceded in death by his wife Marijo, parents Ida Smith and Rob Smith, brothers John and Daniel, sister Roberta Thompson, sister-in-law Shirley Sullivan and brother-in-law Harlan Higinbotham.

Funeral services will be held at St. Joseph's Church, Kennewick, WA, on February 17th at 10 a.m. A reception following the service will be held at Life Tributes Cremation Center (Mueller's), 314 W. First Ave. Kennewick. Arrangements are by Mueller's Tri-Cities Funeral Homes.