Mary Ruth Sullivan

Mary Ruth Phillips Sullivan, 95, of Stone Mountain, died in June at her Park Springs Community home. Per her wish, no formal memorial service will be held.

Mrs. Sullivan was the widow of Lt. Col. Roy M. (Sully) Sullivan, Jr., USAF, Retired. A native of Randolph County, GA., Ruth was graduated from Cuthbert High School, Andrew College and Vanderbilt University. Her first career was in nursing. She also taught High School in Warner Robins while her husband was stationed there. The couple had travelled extensively, both in Europe while “Sully” was stationed in Spain and later in Japan. In Japan, Ruth studied in the Shogetsu School of Ikebana flower arranging.

Upon Sully’s retirement from the USAF, they built a home in Smoke Rise where they were active members of Eastminster Presbyterian Church, where Ruth served as president of Women of the Church. Ruth also was active in local, state and national garden clubs. A member of Designers Club, she had served as president of Smoke Rise Morning Glories Garden Club, Lullwater Garden Club, The DeKalb County Federation of Garden Clubs and chaired the Yellow Daisy Flower Show. She held many leadership positions in The Garden Club of Georgia, Inc., including Redbud District Director, Treasurer and Finance Officer and served for many years on the board of National Council of State Garden Clubs (now National Garden Clubs, Inc.). A flower show judge, she held credentials as a consultant in three schools, Gardening, Environmental, and Landscape Design. At Park Springs she was a member of the Low Vision Book Club and attended Emory Extension OLLI classes, where Ruth was said to answer the instructor’s questions correctly when other class members did not provide a correct answer.

Upon his retirement as a JAG officer, Mr. Sullivan joined the staff of Georgia Department of Public Safety retiring as Director of Peace Officers Standards and Training Council. He is buried at Andersonville National Cemetery where Mrs. Sullivan will be buried. There were no immediate survivors. She was predeceased by her parents, Mr. and Mrs. R. L. Phillips of Cuthbert; her sister, Betty P. Bullock and her husband, Robert Bullock of Montgomery, AL, and a brother, Ray Phillips.

Memorials may be sent to Park Springs Foundation, 500 Springhouse Circle, Stone Mountain, GA 30087 or to charity of your choice.