Jay Ryan Sullivan

I remember Jay for his determination to excell, his drive for perfection, and his outstanding athletic ability. His mother was my nurse for 16 yrs, Jay was my patient for many more. He should have gotten to the 80 Olympics but for international relations. Good Bye Jay

Good Bye Jay, I’ll miss you.

Fred and I were SO sorry to read about Jay’s passing.

He is at peace now and up in Heaven maybe eating some of his healthy chocolate chip cookies!

I know it seems hard to understand and the loss hard to bear but he is not suffering anymore and he is probably the “old” Jay right now.

“They” say time does heal. I just recently went through a loss of a family member and now know that is true, hard but true.

Jay was a very lucky person to be loved by so many.

I know he will be missed.

With deepest sympathy,

Fred and Kathy

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Sullivan family. I know what a loss this must be for such a great family and we are truely saddened by Jays passing.

Just one more day, one more match, one more catch, one more run,one more Olympic dream, one more sun to frame, one more Mountain to claim, one more hello Jon.

I saw more of my brother later in life. We had time to ski again. Our hiked to Snow Lakes. That was one of our best days. Jay had lofty goals. I’m proud of his life and the time I had to spend with him.

I just learned about Jay’s passing. We grew up together from elementry school through high school. I will always remember him as a good person and competitive athlete. Though our paths did not cross often after high school, I will always remember the time in early 1999 went we crossed paths walking at Redondo Beach. He recognized me at once, and our conversation was like we had never had those 25 years inbetween meetings. I will miss you. God Bless you.

One of my best friends in High School. Truly an amazing guy. Lots of laughs and fun through our High School years. One of my fondest memories was going to Spokane to watch him wrestle in the State Wrestling Championship.

Don Piper in his book, “90 Minutes to Heaven” shares his incredible story and in the course of the book talks about the loss of a good friend, which seems apt here. If I may paraphrase, he states: “Some may ask – How could Jay die? But I would say to you the better question is, how did Jay live? He lived well, beloved. He lived very well.”

Jay and I met in the 1990’s when he was working for Raytell and I was one of his clients at OHSU in Portland. He was this rather quirky fellow with a friendly smile, who appeared at my door, bow tie on and “healthy” chocolate chip cookies in hand. There was, as many of you all have experienced, an immediate and natural rapport. Maybe because I had kept stats for the wrestling team at the college I attended and he had been a wrestler, maybe because we had a common bond in our interest of cardiology, maybe because I could talk sports like any of his “buddies” it helps having had four brothers, but most likely it was because he was a rabid Washington Huskie and I, as evidenced by the Duck Shrine in my office, was a rabid Oregon Duck.

What ensued was an easy friendship, never at a loss for discussion or debate, but always with a sense of caring and concern for one another. With Jay you always knew that you were important to him and that he cared for you. Whether it was a quick phone call to check in and say hi and talk about the latest U of W win or his willingness to catch a flight from Seattle to Bend or to Medford to be your escort at the big Golf event that weekend or a simple lunch in the hospital cafeteria. He was never at a loss for conversation and stories of his latest adventures.

As I think back, the most memorable time was a weekend in Seattle that started with dinner on the lake, followed by the ballet on Friday night and then the Washington v. Oregon football game on Saturday. He smiled knowingly, as we walked from my B&B to the football stadium, when asked if we had good seats little did I know that we would be on the 50 yard line only a few rows up from the field. He tolerated his friend being all “ducked” out and then sitting amid the sea of Purple and Gold and was equally as kind, when the Huskies gave a training camp for the Ducks on how the game is played. It was one of those memorable weekends that became etched on my heart and my mind. But, then every time spent with Jay created another memory – either for great Italian in a wonderful out of the way place in Seattle where only the locals go or the last time we had lunch together in Portland, again in the hospital cafeteria, because it was the easiest and fastest, although not necessarily preferred. It was only later that I would learn that his parents had driven him down to see me, as he had already started to lose his way.

With Jay it was often the unspoken that had the most meaning and a way of reminding you of how important you were to him. His last Christmas card before he became ill is something that I continue to cherish – beautiful in its simplicity, special for being made by his hand and with the most caring message he could give – simply signed – Love, Jay.

As so often happens at times like these, we all look back and wish we had been better friends, had been there more for him in his times of need and that we had remembered the last time we saw each other to be sure to tell him how much he mattered in our lives. But, as often happens we don’t say those important things and then find, as is the case here, that it is too late.

However, I have solace in knowing that Jay has now arrived home to a much better place and has been released from the bonds that have progressively held him over the past few years. With Jay, I don’t think there was ever a question about his knowing how much he meant to each of us, certainly how much he meant to me and how deeply I cared for him and now, how much I will miss his easy smile and his wonderful and a little off-beat personality.

He was a rare blend of a man – caring, compassionate, strong-willed and adventurous. His kindness and sense of loyalty were beyond measure. He will be remembered not for his passing, but for how he lived and loved well. God’s speed Jay. Until we meet again. With all my love. Maggie

Sorry that I could not be there for the memorial.

Although I had not seen him for several years, I have many great memories of Jay.

My prayers are with all his friends and family.

Mark

As I sit here and read all of the nice things that others have written about Jay, it makes us so sorry that we didn’t get to know him better. What a wonderful person he was. So generous, kind and loving. How great it is to have such a wonderful son and family member that has the high regard of his friends throughout his whole life. Truly ‘CARPE DIEM’ was he.

Now in God’s holy care we look forward to meeting you once again. God bless your whole family.

To the Sullivan family-

I am so sorry to hear of your loss. My memories of Jay are filled with his smiling face, welcoming heart and always a kind word to share. Back in the day, I looked forward our chance meetings at UW–how wonderful it was to share a moment with a fellow EHS Wolverine, one who was always an “upper” to what sometimes were tough days.

Jay was a nice, special person.

I hope the pain of your loss will be muted by the memories of his life well-lived. Peace to your healing hearts.