On July 4, 2019, Patty Sherrill Sullivan moved into her permanent home that our Heavenly Father had prepared for her. She lived an incredibly gifted earthly life that began on February 25, 1927, when she was born in San Marcos to Malcolm and Julia Storey Sherrill. From that day forward she was constantly surrounded by loving family and friends.
Patty grew up in San Marcos, graduated from San Marcos High School and attended Texas Women’s University in Denton and Southwest Texas State Teachers College. She married her brother’s best friend, J.C. (Jake) Sullivan on October 19, 1946, and they enjoyed 63 years of marriage until his death in 2009. They had one son, Joseph C. (Clay) Sullivan, who still resides in San Marcos.
As a young woman, Patty was an administrative assistant to the Director of the Hays County Veterans Vocational School, where she helped many young men further their education after World War II. She later worked for the San Marcos School District in several positions, and then in the savings and loan business, again in several positions. She eventually became the Vice President and office manager of First Federal Savings and Loan San Marcos. In retirement, she served as a board member of Balcones Bank.
One of her major joys in life was helping others- whether it was supporting teachers and children in schools and traveling or Rattler football and basketball games, no matter where they played; or in making home loans to clients who either were already, or would become, her friends.
Patty’s church, First Presbyterian Church was very important to her for her entire life here on earth. Her great grandparents were foundational in beginning the church. She was a very faithful member and through the years she served in multiple ways, always giving. Whether teaching children’s Sunday School, or serving as an elder, she happily served God and her brothers and sisters in Christ.
In addition to her work and her church, she was extremely active in many aspects of the San Marcos community. Organizations and activities such as the Chamber of Commerce, Chilympiad, Beta Sigma Phi, chairing the Board of Trustees of the SWT Development Foundation, the Texas State/SWT Alumni Association, the Friends of Fine Arts, being on the board of the San Marcos Cemetery Commission, and being an honorary board member of the LBJ Museum were very important and fun for her. She received the Texas State Alumni Key of Excellence Award in 1988, was a 1989 honoree of the San Marcos Women’s Hall of Fame, and in 2011 she was presented with the San Marcos High School Distinguished Alumni Award (Class of 1944). The life Patty lived left an indelible mark on the San Marcos community.
When not actively serving her community and church, Patty simply loved being with friends, whether at a supper club or a bridge club. Friends and people were most important to her, but her greatest joy came from her family.
Patty leaves behind to cherish her memory her sister, Dorothy Toler; her son, Clay and her daughter-inlaw, Carol; her grandson, Seth Sullivan and his wife, Melissa; her granddaughter, Lindsey Keller and her husband, Josh; and her six great-grandchildren, Emily, Grant, and Luke Sullivan; and Samuel, Vivian, and Shane Keller.
Visitation to be held on Sunday, July 7, 5:00-7:00 p.m. at Pennington Funeral Home. Service to be held on Monday, July 8, 2:00 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church, San Marcos, followed by interment at San Marcos City Cemetery. Memorial donations may be made to First Presbyterian Church, San Marcos.
Arrangements by Pennington Funeral Home, San Marcos, Texas, 512-353-4311.
