Bill attended St. Paul’s High School in Birmingham and graduated from St. Bernard Prep School, Cullman, in 1939. During his time at St. Bernard Bill formed enduring friendships with fellow students and many of the Benedictine Monks of St. Bernard Abbey.
Bill then attended Birmingham Southern College before graduating with honors from Vanderbilt University in 1943.
Bill Served in the US Navy during WWII as a Turret Officer on the heavy cruiser U.S.S. Wichita in the Pacific Theater. Following the war, Bill entered Law School at the University of Alabama where he earned his degree. It was during those years that he met and married his late wife Dorothy Agnes McGeever.
Bill began his practice of law as an associate at Sadler & Sadler in Birmingham. He remained at the firm until his retirement from Sadler Sullivan, P.C. in 2003. Bill represented the Catholic Diocese of Birmingham for over 50 years.
He was a member of the Knights of Columbus and was awarded membership in the Knights of St. Gregory by Pope John XXIII. Bill was founding president of the Parish Council at Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church in Homewood.
Bill was preceded in death by his wife Dorothy, his parents William J. Sullivan, Sr. and Mary Alice Byrnes; sisters Alaine Lancaster, Rosalie Sullivan, and Eleanor Sawyer; son William J. Sullivan, III; and daughter-in-law Mary Sullivan.
He is survived by his daughter, Mary Anne Sullivan; sons Brian, Tim, and Dan Sullivan; daughter-in-law Rosalind Sullivan; granddaughters Amy Bach (Bill), Katie Kauffman (Joel), Sarah Johnson (Jay), Anna Price, and Elizabeth Sullivan; grandson Will Sullivan, IV; many great-grandchildren, nieces, and nephews.
Visitation will be Tuesday, Dec. 17th at Ridout’s Valley Chapel from 5:30 – 7 pm. Bill’s Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church followed by interment at Elmwood Cemetery.
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