Back in the 60s, 70s, and 80s, it wasn’t unusual for OLS to have five or more children from one family enrolled at the school at the same time. And a few families stood out for being exceptionally large. Here, we shine a spotlight on one of them — the Sullivans. These are some reflections of several of the Sullivan kids about their time spent at 888 Mamaroneck Avenue.
We Sullivan siblings are all incredibly grateful that we grew up in White Plains, NY. A major part of this gratitude stems from our good fortune to be included in the Our Lady of Sorrows community. Our parents, Patricia and Michael Sullivan (known to most as Pat and Joe), moved from Battle Hill to Gedney Farms, in large part to be close to OLS school and church (and Stepinac). This proximity meant that all of their 10 kids could walk uphill both ways in the snow to get where we needed to go! We got to meet the BEST families, and going to school with our cousins, the Hendersons, was a huge bonus!
Academics, sports, music, theater, and church played big roles in our lives, and OLS delivered all of them with care, love, and fun! Attending OLS meant that you had teachers and Principals, Sr. Patricia and Sr. Cecile, who cared about your academic progress, your personal enrichment, and your safety – the whole person. And when our parents passed away, and more recently our brother Rob (class of ’82), the entire OLS community – and we mean the entire community – showed up for us with prayers, hugs, and any support we needed. We will always remember the enormous generosity of so many OLS families who have played such an important role in our wellbeing over the years.
The lasting impact that OLS has had on all of our lives can be found in the lifelong friendships we formed, starting many years ago. Many of us are in touch with former classmates and we get together with them whenever we are lucky enough to be able to. Sharing our memories of OLS and making new memories with our friends are times that are always full of laughter and love, and we are so thankful we still have such valued relationships with these amazing people. The OLS bond is strong and we wouldn’t have it any other way!
Favorite memories
Martin Sullivan (Class of ‘79): My time at OLS was marked by two distinct periods. The first was when I arrived in the middle of 6th grade. Perhaps it was sheer luck, but my class included a couple of all-time OLS all-stars: Steve Steinthal and Phil Mogavero. In terms of large families, my class was also a winner. Chris Hillebrecht (another all-star), Regina Collins, Marianne O’Keeffe, Liz Schulz, Jennifer Jordan & Nancy Jacobson all came from large/very large families. Honorable mention goes to Tim O’Toole and Chris O’Gorman who were a class ahead of me, but also check both boxes. While the girls never paid me much attention, I’m happy to report the fellas are all still good friends.
My second stint at OLS was during my junior and senior year of high school. After an unremarkable two-year basketball career at Stepinac, I figured I would try something a little more productive. A true legend, Mr. Tom O’Toole was (somehow?) coaching the OLS JV team. His philosophy was to encourage as many young kids as possible to enjoy basketball the way he did during his remarkable playing career – a trait he successfully shared with his own family. With a roster of approximately 35 players, Mr. O’Toole enthusiastically welcomed me as an assistant coach. I ran drills, I ran sprints, I made the occasional half-court shot–which meant no one had to run sprints! I got to coach my cousin Sean Henderson and my brother Tim (who was not technically old enough to be on the team). I got to know a (slightly younger) generation at OLS, and we even won a championship!
Beating St. Joe’s in 8th grade (at their place) is my favorite memory! More importantly, I’d like to share a story that I think is worth telling. About 10 years ago, I hosted a Sullivan / Henderson family reunion. I live on Long Island, an hour or so from White Plains. Undaunted, Sr. Patricia jumped in her car. She arrived early, stayed late. Knew everyone by name and re-connected with each and every one of us. She has been a lifelong friend to the Sullivan family, a great source of comfort and is a truly remarkable person. For my generation she is the cornerstone of the OLS community. We can only wish the world had more ‘influencers’ like Sr. Patricia! God Bless!
Cathleen Sullivan (Class of ’83): It was November 3, 1976. My grade school siblings and I were called to the principal’s office at St. John the Evangelist to learn that our sister, Maureen Patricia, the 10th of 10, was born that morning. We were over the moon that another girl was joining the male dominated Sullivan line-up. What an exciting time for us – welcoming Little Mo, anticipating a move across town to join Our Lady of Sorrows Parish, enrolling in their elementary school, and trading in one set of plaid uniforms for another.
The day was hectic. Mom and Dad were at the hospital, so Aunt Mary Henderson picked us up from school and brought us to our then home on Trenton Avenue in the Battle Hill neighborhood. Not long after I was home from school, I received a phone call from a soon-to-be OLS classmate from the 2nd grade. I couldn’t believe someone I had never met before would call me. On the other end of the phone line was Michele Marano, inviting me to her birthday party later that day. Could this day get any better? “When is your birthday?” I asked. She responded, “It’s today, and I know it’s late notice, but my mom and I thought it would be nice if you could meet some of the girls who will be in your class at OLS.” I was immediately struck by Michele’s warmth and kindness. I would have accepted the invitation in a heartbeat under any other circumstances, because even at the age of 7, I loved a good party. I told Michele, “I wish I could go, but my parents aren’t home because my little sister was born today!” We immediately bonded over Michele and Maureen sharing their November 3rd birthday and still do almost fifty years later.
Michele remains my life-long, most treasured friend. That November day in 1976 will stay with me forever. I couldn’t wait to move to Gedney Farms, meet Michele and everyone else in our new OLS community. I just knew it was going to be special. OLS and the people we’ve been blessed to know embody what it feels like to be home in the deepest sense, and I am grateful beyond measure.
Eileen Sullivan (Class of ’85): My favorite memory at OLS is not exactly one event, but a tradition. I loved how every year the school would collect Christmas gifts for families in White Plains who were having a tough time making ends meet. This taught us about being there for others, thinking outside of yourself, and counting your blessings. These are traits that I see in all of my siblings to this day.
I also loved jumping rope outside the front of the school, sliding down snowy hills on cafeteria trays, cheerleading competitions, basketball games (huge shout out and thanks to our coaches Debbie Flooks and Debbie Donahoe!) and the annual talent show! I can’t count the number of friends I still have from OLS – you should see my group text messages most days at 8:00am! It’s my OLS classmates!
Oh, and I just realized that I was the first Sullivan kid to attend OLS all the way from 1st-8th grade. I’ll have to ask my brothers and sisters if I win something…
Tim Sullivan (Class of ’86): While I was more of a basketball/spelling bee kind of guy, I loved the talent show, although I only had the courage to participate myself once. Eileen and I were maybe 3rd and 4th graders at the time and the details are fuzzy on how it came to be, but they seem to have Mom’s fingerprints all over them—creative, funny, sincere, and thrifty. We developed a song and dance routine to an Irish tune called HARRIGAN from the movie “Yankee Doodle Dandy,” although we cleverly replaced that part with SULLIVAN. Genius, I thought, and on St. Patrick’s Day, no less!
“SU-double L-I-VAN spells SULLIVAN. Proud of all the Irish blood that’s in me…Divil a man who say a word agin’ me…”
The talent show held the potential to be the most embarrassing event of our young lives but in rare circumstances it was triumphant (think Dave Scott on the drums or Eric Hoffman singing Pink Floyd’s The Wall). Having so many siblings in the school at the time gave us the confidence to go for it. OLS itself is essentially a family and the big families are the cornerstones. Greg Schulz was my buddy but I knew ALL the Schulzes—ditto for the Bensels and the Mortons and the Caseys and on and on.
So we sang our song and danced our little Pat Sullivan-choreographed dance, swathed in green outfits and cellophane top hats. We used green Tinker Toy sticks as dancing canes because of course we did, and as far as my selective memory can recall, brought the house down. They awarded us “Most Original,” which I think meant that we didn’t sing or dance particularly well but that it was…SOMETHING!
Bill Sullivan (Class of ’88): Growing up with close friends at OLS in one evolving class for eight years was quite special. Whether it be the sounds only a packed OLS gym could produce on game days, annual plays and musicals, talent shows and science fairs, class trips, and “Hot Dog Day,” OLS always provided a lot to look forward to. I always felt a strong sense of belonging, especially starting out in first grade with five older siblings at the school in grades 3, 4, 6, 7 & 8.
With so many wonderful memories it is hard to list only one so I’ll share these two. After having his playing career at Stepinac cut short due to serious injuries sustained from being hit by a car, my brother Rob was welcomed back to OLS as the assistant coach to Mike Guiney for our JV hoops squad. Rob was a legend of sorts to us, having helped lead his ’80 JV team to a 30-2 record and his ‘82 varsity team to a 31-4 record, both resulting in WCAA Championships. Rob kept us laughing and taught us a selfless style of play where rebounds and assists were just as important as scoring. He always knew what to do next and helped lead us to our own undefeated record! It was a meaningful season for our team and was a gift to have Rob’s mentorship, especially on the heels of his long recovery from the accident.
Another fond memory is when the OLS community came together to build “Fort Taylor” in one day. What started with a set of drawings, more lumber, chains and tires than I had ever seen (and a bunch of telephone poles that our Dad had everything to do with but never mentioned once), were raised into the coolest play structure ever. Everyone played a role and found a way to be useful throughout the day. We kept finding the most random objects as we were working on land that was once part of the WP dump. The architect, Paul Taylor, was awarded a bowling ball that was unearthed while digging one of the holes. Coming together as volunteers for a project benefiting the greater good exemplified that it is in giving that we truly receive. I try to bring that spirit of collaboration and camaraderie to my community and parish here in Atlanta.
Mike Sullivan (Class of ‘75, St. John the Evangelist): I was already a student at Stepinac when my younger siblings started at OLS, so while I did not attend OLS, it was an important part of my life. One of my favorite memories from OLS includes how fiercely the school played basketball, but more importantly, how seriously the cheerleaders took their roles. (Think Suzanne Donahue, “OLS is the BEST!!”) Other favorite memories include Katie Casey belting out Elvis Presley’s “Return to Sender” at the Cadillac raffle and Mary Helen Jordan and Pat Sullivan (Mom) performing on stage as Can-Can girls circa late 1970s! The families from OLS shaped each other’s lives by encouraging hard work, valuing integrity, and never being afraid to laugh at themselves! I am very grateful to have been part of the OLS community.