Obituary of Daniel F. Sullivan

Daniel Francis Sullivan,  Retired NYPD Chief; Retired Lieutenant Colonel US Army Reserve

Daniel Sullivan, 88, of Montclair, N.J., passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on January 19, 2018.  Born May 20, 1929, on Staten Island, N.Y., to the late Michael and Elizabeth Sullivan.  Daniel was raised in New Brighton with his five siblings Eleanor (Meurer), Margaret “Peg” (Higgins), Michael, Katherine (Daly), and James. He was a proud graduate of St. Peter’s High School and St. Peter’s College, Jersey City now St. Peter’s University. Daniel also attended the Baruch School for Public Administration earning a Master of Public Administration. Daniel’s brother Michael, and sisters Peg Higgins and Katherine Daly pre-deceased him.

Daniel married Mary Margaret Kenny in 1957 and they began their life together in West Brighton, where they lived for twenty-one years before moving to Tuxedo, N.Y. Daniel was a devoted husband to Mary for 60 years and was fortunate to have celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary this past summer with a wonderful cruise to Canada with their five children and sons and daughters-in law, James and Beth (Marcil) Sullivan; Ellen Sullivan;  Caroline and Patrick Corcoran;  Patricia and Anthony Ward; Daniel and Johanna (Gaimster) Sullivan; and their nine beloved grandchildren who knew him as “Pops”,  Caitlin and Melissa Sullivan; Connor and Daniel Corcoran; Sophia, Aidan and Luca Ward;  and Nathaniel and Hugh Sullivan.

As Daniel’s family grew so too did his career.  After proudly serving during the Korean War as a Second Lieutenant with the US Army, in 1954 Daniel joined the New York City Police Department.  He rose through the ranks to become a three star Chief overseeing the Internal Affairs Bureau before retiring in 1992 after thirty-eight years of service. Throughout this time Daniel also served in the US Army Reserve for thirty years retiring as Lieutenant Colonel.

While Daniel’s career, intellect,  and military service were a real source of pride to all who knew and loved him, of most importance always was his steadfast love and commitment to family. He enjoyed looking after his grandchildren, many wonderful Easter and winters with family in Daytona Beach Shores, watching his beloved NY Yankees, exciting trips with Mary in their retirement that spanned walks on the Great Wall to cruising Russian rivers, holiday celebrations and parties over the decades with his very large cohort of siblings, in-laws, and nieces and nephews, and sharing his considerable skills in home improvement that even included home building. 

Daniel will be forever and always missed by his family and remembered as a loving husband to Mary and an extraordinary father whose unwavering support and encouragement to his children throughout their lives won’t soon be forgotten.

Online  condolences may be sent to Moriartyfuneralhome.com

Hugh M. Moriarty Funeral Home
76 Park Street 
Montclair, N.J. 07042
(973) 744-4346