Shawn Marie Sullivan, a longtime Oak Harbor teacher, wife, mother, and Whidbey Island resident, died on June 10 following a lengthy battle with Alzheimer’s disease.
Sullivan spent much of her life dedicated to education and family, first raising her children at home before returning to the classroom to teach third grade students at Olympic View Elementary School for nearly two decades, according to her obituary.
A graduate of Oak Harbor High School’s Class of 1978, Sullivan was named valedictorian, an honor awarded to the school’s top academic students.
Following graduation, she attended Washington State University before transferring to Western Washington University, where she earned her teaching degree.
She later married Rodney Sullivan and devoted 12 years to raising their family as a stay-at-home mother.
After returning to the workforce, Sullivan taught third grade at Olympic View Elementary for 17 years before retiring in 2018.
Family members said she will be remembered not only for her accomplishments, but also for her compassion and devotion to those around her.
“Shawn will always be remembered as a wonderful wife, a great mother, and a very caring person,” her obituary states.
Sullivan is survived by her husband, Rodney Sullivan of Oak Harbor; her sons, Dallas and Jake Sullivan of Bellingham; her mother, Sharlene Pearson; her sisters, Denise Waller of Anacortes and Patty Johnson of Lynnwood; and numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews.
A memorial service is scheduled for noon on Saturday, June 20, at Wallin Stucky Funeral Home in Oak Harbor. A reception will follow.
