Avid freshwater fisherman and outdoorsman
Published November 7, 2019
NORTH READING — Robert D. “Bobby” Sullivan, 69, of North Reading, formerly of Wakefield, died Sunday November 3, 2019 at the Lahey Hospital and Medical Center in Burlington.
Born in Boston on August 4, 1950 he was the son of the late Daniel J. and Helen F. (Murphy) Sullivan.
Bobby was raised in Wakefield and was a graduate of Wakefield Memorial High School, Class of 1971. He was an avid freshwater fisherman and New England sports fan and loved being outdoors. He enjoyed growing up and spending summers with his family at Danforth Bay in Freedom, N.H. Later in life, Bobby loved spending his summers at the pool with a good mudslide in hand. He was a good story teller and loved to weave a tale; but above all, he cherished his family and all of his nieces and nephews and his role as “Uncle Bobby.”
He was the beloved husband of Martha R. (Robertson), with whom he shared 40 wonderful years of marriage. He was the loving brother of Dennis M. Sullivan and his wife Marcia of Tewksbury and Thomas X. Sullivan and Michelle Laughlin of Wakefield. He was the brother-in-law of David L. Robertson, Joanne Thistle, Carol Szwed and her husband Jan, and Donald Robertson and his wife Susan. He was “Uncle Bobby” to Jessica (Sullivan) Gabriel and her husband James, Caitlin Sullivan, Leah Mozer and her husband Jason, Jennifer Sullivan and her husband Matthew Chase, Matthew Robertson, Amy Thistle, Kristen Riley and her husband Kevin, Laurie Amara and her husband Andy, Kelly Coyne and her husband Mike, and Megan Robertson. He was the “greatest” great-uncle to Alexis, Ally, Ruthie, Jax, Makena, Matthew, Emma, Isiah, Sam, Nathan, Charlie, Isla, and Kaydence.
Visitation for relatives and friends at the McDonald Funeral Home, 19 Yale Ave., Wakefield on Thursday from 4-7 p.m. Burial will be private. In lieu of flowers, the family prefers donations be made in Bobby’s name to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Jimmy Fund, P.O. Box 849168, Boston, MA 02284-9168.
