Julie Sullivan: 'Friend to everyone'

It is with a great sense of sadness and profound loss that I advise you of the premature passing of our good friend Julie Sullivan. She is survived by her husband Michael and the joys of her life, her twin sons, William and James. She was 48 years old.

Julie had a remarkably upbeat personality and her smile and laugh were contagious. She was a friend to everyone at PAMS and made everyone she ever met feel welcome.

Julie was PAMS's very first full-time executive director, a post that she assumed shortly after her graduation from Penn State University in 1985. Up until the time of her death, Julie continued to serve PAMS and the HME industry as our convention planner. Her knowledge of the industry and the people who serve our member providers was exhaustive. Her professionalism, meeting planning skills and gift for hospitality led Julie to found Honeydew Events, where she excelled as one of central Pennsylvania's premiere events planners. True to her roots at PAMS, she specialized in trade association events.

Julie was president of the Junior League of Harrisburg, Inc., and the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Pennsylvania, and served on the boards of the Friends of the YWCA of Greater Harrisburg, The Four Diamonds Fund, and the Harrisburg Symphony Society, for which she co-chaired the designer show house and gardens. She was also the author of “Settings: A Cookbook,” a compilation of recipes from chefs, friends and people in central Pennsylvania that she had met or heard about. Julie liked to say that she “collected the recipes and it's a collection of other people's talents of the region.”

Julie managed her last PAMS Convention at the Lancaster Marriott on April 22-24, 2012. She was diagnosed with a mass shortly afterward that was later identified as stage 3 uterine cancer.

Thanks for giving so much of yourself to PAMS, Julie. You will be greatly missed and fondly remembered. Rest in peace.

For those wishing to send condolences to the Sullivan family, they may be sent to 2315 Magnolia Drive, Harrisburg, Pa., 17104.

— John Shirvinsky, executive director, Pennsylvania Association of Medical Suppliers