Anna Lee Irey Sullivan, 91, was born on February 11, 1933, in Shelby, Ohio. She passed from Alzheimer’s Disease on April 11, 2024, at The Inn at Bear Trail in Lewis Center, Ohio. Her parents were Laura (Payne) and Kenneth Irey who named her after her paternal grandmother, Anna Lee Irey.
Anna Lee grew up in Shelby in a multi-generational home with her paternal grandparents, parents, and beloved, younger sister, Janel. She graduated from Shelby High School where she played the accordion, was a majorette and was on the homecoming court. She was married to the love of her life, Donald, from 1953 until his passing in 2022, one day short of celebrating their 69th wedding anniversary. Together they raised one son, Douglas (Patricia), and passed along their love to their grandchildren Matthew Sullivan (Lindsay) and Brian Sullivan (Michael Cochran), and their great-grandchildren, Harper and Will Sullivan.
Ann worked at Newhope School in Mansfield for many years. She furthered her education while Doug was in high school to graduate in nursing from North Central Technical College. She then worked until retirement with Drs. Herringhaus, Behi, Beddard, and Win at Medical Arts Internists. She dearly loved her fellow nurses and staff there.
Family was Ann’s ultimate joy. She was the full-of-fun matriarch at every gathering, large or small, after which everyone knew she would talk Don into stopping along the way home for some antique shopping, another love of her life. In addition to antiquing, she enjoyed needle pointing, cooking, dining out on her favorite Chinese food, traveling to Europe with her sister and brother-in-law, collecting antique cut glassware, and amassing an eclectic abundance of candlesticks, artwork, jewelry boxes, dolls, caned chairs, decorative pillows, cookbooks, dishes, and you name it. She had a love for dogs, especially her sweet Pebbles and Casey. Friendship and fun with so many dear friends and close neighbors on Maple and Poplar Streets continued throughout Ann’s long life. Her last Mansfield home was condo living with Don at Tower Lakes where they loved to grow flowers, walk, and chat and laugh with neighbors during afternoon happy hours in their garage.
Ann was preceded in death by her parents, husband, sister, parents-in-law Rev. V.I. and Helen Sullivan, and brother- and sister-in-law, Marjorie and James Burns.
In addition to her immediate family, she is survived by her brother-in-law, Frank Long, nieces and nephews Laura Jacques, Frank Gordon Long, Rev. David Burns, Rev. Barry Burns, and Janel Nelson.
The family wishes to thank the incredible support team of Care360 Hospice. Memorial contributions may be made to them in Anna Lee’s name at 3455 Mill Run Rd., Suite 100, Hilliard, OH 43026.
Private funeral and burial services in Oakland Cemetery are being arranged by Barkdull Funeral Home & Crematory, Shelby, Ohio.
Online condolences may be made at www.barkdullfuneralhome.com
Funeral Home: Barkdull Funeral Home & Crematory
Website: www.barkdullfuneralhome.com