Obituary of Rose Marie Dorine (Barry) Sullivan

Rose was born in Edmundston, New Brunswick on January 30, 1937 to Rose Marie Cormier Barry and John Joseph “Jack” Barry. She was raised by her grandparents in Taymouth, NB following the death of her mother in childbirth. She studied nursing at the Victoria Public Hospital in Fredericton, graduating in 1958, and worked in obstetrics with Dr. Everett Chalmers. She then completed post graduate studies at McGill University, returning to Fredericton to teach at the VPH and to marry Richard “Dick” Sullivan. Mom and Dad met on a blind date set up by mutual friends, attending a dance at UNB. From what we hear,  those dances produced quite the number of engineer/nurse couples at the time. They wed July 27, 1963 and were married 47 years until Dick’s death in 2010.   

Rose was a stay-at-home mother while Jill and Richard were growing up and then returned to nursing once they were in their teens. She worked in several family doctor’s offices, taught at a business college and subsequently was the Manager of Nursing Services at Olsten Kimberly Quality Care (now Bayshore) where she made amazing friendships lasting until the end. We joked that when Dick retired, Rose went back to work. 

Rose was an outgoing, social individual with a laugh that filled the room. She loved playing bridge, curling, golfing, travelling, and entertaining. She was a member of the Fredericton Golf Club and the Capital Winter Club for many years and competed successfully as a member of the Grace Donald Rink, winning a bronze medal at the Senior National Curling Championships. Rose and Dick also enjoyed many years entertaining friends and family at the cottage at Grand Lake, after they partnered with Dick’s sister Joan and husband Keith in renovating it together.    

Rose was blessed with an amazing network of friends for life, including many of her former nursing classmates that were by her side for over half a century. Her bridge club partners or in her words “her therapy group” were her mainstay, even as dementia took hold in the last few years and she became a shadow of her former self. We are extremely grateful for all your help and support.  

Rose was predeceased by her husband Richard “Dick”, and infant daughter Mary Jo. She is survived by her daughter Jill and son Richard (Bonita Sears), and her cherished grandsons Nolan and Charlie. 

Visitation will be held at McAdam’s Funeral Home on Wednesday, October 16, 2024 from 5 to 7 pm.  A Memorial Service will be held in the J.A. McAdam Memorial Chapel on Thursday October 17 at 11:00 am, with Rev. John Jennings officiating. Private interment in the Hermitage Cemetery. For those who wish, memorial donations may be made to a charity of donor’s choice.