Rebecca "Lyle" Ann Sullivan

Rebecca “Lyle” Ann Sullivan, 76, recently of Wilmington, North Carolina and formerly from Hohenecken, Germany passed away peacefully on Friday, June 26, 2026 in Chatham, MA. Shortly before the end of her life, Lyle moved to Massachusetts in order to live closer to family and loved ones.

Lyle was born in Battle Creek, Michigan and was a 1968 graduate of Lakeview High School. Lyle began her college education at Central Michigan University. She then moved to Hawaii and earned her Bachelor of Education Degree from the University of Hawaii in Honolulu. She taught school in Florida for three years, before she was relocated by the Department of Defense Dependents Schools (DoDDs) to Germany in 1978.

Lyle served her country teaching elementary school for more than three decades. She obtained a Masters of Education in 1990. Lyle was a wonderful friend and mentor to her colleagues over the years. She loved teaching and learning and cared deeply for her students. Lyle also completed many advanced studies including all of the course work in a doctoral program at Boston University from 1992–1995. Her passion was being in the classroom with students and she used her advanced knowledge to advocate for them as well as for the teachers-in-training. After thirty-four years of service, Lyle retired from DoDDS in 2012 and moved to Wilmington, North Carolina.

Lyle was a fiercely independent and feisty lady who traveled all around the world. She loved to go on cruises and was known to send boxes of unique souvenirs to loved ones. She always splurged on others before herself. She thoroughly enjoyed and embraced German culture, and lived her life to the fullest while in Europe and traveling the world. She loved to swim to stay fit and then enjoy gourmet food at a fancy restaurant. She was generous, supportive, and loyal. Lyle was frugal, but she also liked to put together the cutest outfits. She was a private person, but also loved a good party. She was smart, sensitive and she had a great sense of humor. She will be missed by friends from all over the world.

Lyle was considered to be part of many “families” such as her DoDDs Kaiserslautern Elementary School family, her Carolina Bay family, and since 2013, a member of the Wilmington, NC St. Paul’s Episcopal Church family. Lyle took lifelong vows of prayer, service, and evangelism in 2019 when she became a “Daughter of the King,” thereby joining a spiritual sisterhood of devoted Episcopalians who support one another and their community. Throughout both of these important periods of Lyle’s life she was also a cherished member of the Hamm-Moylan family. Lyle started as a mentor to Shelley Hamm at Kaiserslautern Elementary in 1998, but their friendship grew and grew as Lyle became an “Auntie” to Shelley’s sons, Donald Moylan III and Joshua Moylan.

Lyle was preceded in death by her younger sister, Louise Sullivan, as well by her parents, Clark and Katheryne Sullivan formerly of Battle Creek, Michigan and Largo, Florida. Lyle is survived by her brothers, Ralph Sullivan and his partner, Cheryl Enright, of Boston, and Stephen Sullivan and his wife, Rhea, of Minneapolis. Lyle is also survived by three nephews, Will Sullivan (Erica), Andrew Sullivan (Lindsay), and Jack Sullivan (Kjerstin), as well as one niece, Brianna Sullivan, along with several grand nephews and grand nieces.

A celebration of Lyle’s life and interment will take place at St. Paul's Episcopal Church on October 10th at 10am, 16 N. 16th St. Wilmington, NC 2840. Followed by an interment in the memorial garden at St. Paul's. A reception will follow at St. Paul's.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Paul’s Episcopal Church:

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church

16 N. 16th St.

Wilmington, NC 28401

https://spechurch.com/online-giving/