Obituary of Joan Sullivan

Joan Sullivan, 83, of Belvidere, NJ and previously of Montclair, NJ passed away on July 26, 2023 at the Karen Ann Quinlan Home for Hospice, Fredon, NJ. A native of Brooklyn, NY, she was born on October 6, 1939 to the late Sydney and Ruth Savits. She received a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from Brooklyn College in 1959. Before moving to New Jersey with her husband, Denis, in 1968, Joan worked as a Vocational Counselor for the New York State Department of Labor. She later worked in Human Resources management at the New York office of Bank of Tokyo. After relocating to Warren County, NJ in 1984, she received a one-year grant to develop jobs for the Warren County A.R.C. She subsequently worked as Advertising Manager for Storer Cable (now Xfinity) in Port Murray, NJ, from which she retired due to disability in 1991. Joan was a singularly gifted musician and craftsperson. An avid music lover, she was elected while in high school to New York City's All City Chorus. She also played trumpet and cello and, while living in Warren County, participated in performances of classical chorale works with various ensembles. As a craftsperson she designed and created embroidered rugs, pillows and tapestries. She also participated in public life as a Warren County poll worker for more than a decade, and served as one of the founding members, and later as co-president, of the Skylands Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in the Beattystown historic area of Hackettstown, NJ. Joan is survived by her loving husband of 57 years, local historian Denis Sullivan, and their daughters Lisa (of Copenhagen, Denmark) and Karen (of Washington, NJ). She was preceded in death by her parents and by her only brother, Myer (Mike) Savits. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Joan's name to the Karen Ann Quinlan Home for Hospice in Fredon, NJ. A celebration of Joan's life will be held on Saturday, October 7, 2023 at 11:30 am at the Skylands Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 1811 Route 57, Hackettstown, NJ. Funeral Arrangements have been entrusted to Warren Hills Memorial Home. To send an online condolence, please visit www.warrenhillsmemorialhome.com.