William Michael Sullivan, 52, of Batavia, a familiar face and fixture on the Kane County golf scene, died of heart failure Sunday, June 16, in Mercy Center hospital in Aurora.
“Bill came from a long line of golfers,” said his wife, Karen. “From the time he was a little boy, he was a student of the game. There was nothing outside of his family and friends that he loved more.”
Mr. Sullivan was the second-oldest son in a family of six children who grew up in Ottawa, Ill. He was said to have had a golf club in his hand from age 2. While attending Marquette High School in Ottawa, he spent many hours hitting golf balls on the field behind the school as well as at many golf courses in the area. After graduating from high school in 1968, he went to Waubonsee Community College, where he earned an associate’s degree in business.
In the mid-1970s Mr. Sullivan served four years with the U.S. Army in Belgium. During leaves he honed his golf game at courses throughout Europe.
“Instead of visiting castles and cathedrals, he was out hitting balls on some of the most beautiful and challenging courses around Europe,” said his wife. “It was like a dream for him–a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
After his military service Mr. Sullivan joined Kinney Shoes. He worked 20 years for the company as a manager of several stores in the Fox Valley area.
Mr. Sullivan left the retail business several years ago to spend more time with his two sons. He took a summer job working in the pro shop at the Fox Bend Golf Course in Oswego, and in the off-season he delivered flowers for Batavia Florist.
“Every time our boys turned around, there was their dad,” said his wife. “He attended all their school band concerts and was a volunteer driver for the band. He chaperoned school events and helped out in their high school computer lab. He was always there, right alongside them, encouraging them to try new things.”
Mr. Sullivan participated in many local golf tournaments. He won the Aurora Match Play Championship in 1978 and 1992. In tournaments at Fox Bend, he was won Medal Champion in 1980, Club Champion A Flight in 1997 and Club Championship Flight in 1995.
“Besides being a great golfer, with one of the best short, compact swings I’ve ever seen, he was a heck of a nice guy,” said Leon McNair, director at Fox Bend. “Bill’s cup was always half-full. He was an inspiration to all of us, the kind of guy who never had a bad day.”
Other survivors include two sons, Ryan and Kevin; his mother, Mary Lou; three brothers, John, James and Greg; and two sisters, Kathy Anderson and Julie.
A mass will be said at 10 a.m. Thursday in Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, 801 Oak St., North Aurora.
