John Michael Sullivan passed away peacefully on February 14, 2026, in Clearwater, Florida, surrounded by his wife Ana Maria and children. Born in Galesburg, Illinois, he will be remembered for his generosity, integrity, and the joy he brought to all who knew him.
John grew up on a farm in Hermon, Illinois, attending a one-room schoolhouse before graduating from Abingdon High School. A lifelong Catholic proud of his Irish ancestry, he earned a degree in agribusiness from the University of Illinois and briefly considered the priesthood before answering President John F. Kennedy’s call to join the newly launched Peace Corps.
His Peace Corps service in Brazil profoundly shaped his worldview—and it was there in Carangola that he met his beloved wife, Ana Maria. After their marriage, John joined DeKalb, an agricultural company pioneering hybrid corn genetics. His career took him to Mexico, Argentina, Iran, and beyond.
Despite his successful business career, John’s heart remained with farming. He moved his young family to the Sullivan family farm in Monmouth, Illinois, where they spent eleven fulfilling years cultivating crops and memories. An active parishioner at Immaculate Conception Church, he served on the ICS Board and the Knights of Columbus. He was a proud President of the Pork Producers and could be found each fall flipping butterfly pork chops at the Warren County Prime Beef Festival. Most mornings, he sat at the kitchen table with his father Bob, listening to Captain Stubby and Charles Homer Bill on the radio and checking commodity prices. He developed a passion for golf, occasionally practicing swings in the orchard between farm duties.
As his children grew, John returned to service as Peace Corps Director for the Eastern Caribbean in Bridgetown, Barbados, and then leading Micro-Enterprise Development for USAID in El Salvador and Nicaragua. In retirement, he and Ana Maria settled in Clearwater Beach, Florida, where he enjoyed golf and cruising the world’s oceans.
John is preceded in death by his parents, Mary and Robert Sullivan, and his brother, Robert Sullivan. He is survived by his wife, Ana Maria Cata Preta Sullivan; daughter Karla Bousquet (Franck); son John Michael Sullivan II (Meg); grandchildren Natasha, Patrick, Jack, and Henry; sisters Kathy Schumacher (Gary), Marcia Parrish, and Jane Todd (Glenn); and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.
A funeral mass will be held at St. Brendan’s Catholic Church in Clearwater, Fl, on March 14th at 12pm, followed by a Celebration of Life at O’Keefe’s Tavern. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to World Central Kitchen or the Alzheimer’s Association.
