Obituary of Jane Sullivan

Jane Andre’ Sullivan, 85, died Wednesday, June 14, 2023, at her home in Melbourne, Florida. Jane was a wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, friend, musician, and educator whose exuberant love of joy and happiness guided her through her long life.

Mrs. Sullivan was born October 22, 1937, to Delia Ellen Sullivan and Charles Francis Andre’ in Batavia, New York. Jane married the late Henry F. Sullivan in 1962. They lived together in Scotia, NY, for 26 years before retiring to Arroyo Grande, CA, for 22 years. In 2010, they moved to Melbourne, Florida, to be closer to their daughter and grandchildren. Jane is survived by her daughter and her husband, Delia and Timothy Lancaster, and her grandchildren, Kaitlin Jane and Timothy Francis Lancaster. She was preceded in death by her husband, Henry F. Sullivan, in 2012 and son, Francis Andre’ Sullivan, in 1994.

Jane found her love of music, laughter, and family at a young age and studied the French Horn at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY. She continued her study of music throughout high school and as a music major at SUNY Potsdam’s Crane School of Music, where she earned both her BA and MA degrees.

Throughout her adult life, Jane worked as a music educator, teaching instrumental music and inspiring children to enjoy music. As a performer, her orchestral tours took her around the world; she performed at Carnegie Hall, NYC and the Sydney Opera House, Australia. She loved planning trips, traveling, and taking in all the culture and excitement a destination had to offer. She always found the best places to visit and the most exciting and fun things to do in any given location.

Jane was always athletic. As a youngster, she roughhoused and played sports with her two older brothers. As an adult, she loved to hike in the mountains and walk on the beaches in California and, for years, was an avid tennis player. Although she called herself Plain Jane, she had a wild sense of adventure and a terrific sense of humor. Jane was a very spiritual, kind, and warm-hearted woman who cared for her family and those around her. She had a smile, joke and a kind word for everyone. As she grew older, her grandchildren were her greatest love. Their presence and hearing stories of their activities and achievements lit up her life with joy.

A Catholic funeral mass will be held in her honor at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, July 20, 2023, at Saint John the Evangelist Church, Viera, FL.

In lieu of sending flowers, please donate to The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.