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Louise Sully Mintun posted a condolence
Thursday, September 16, 2021
Thoughts of my father come to me in a tumble of images---falling asleep on a cot under the desert stars, kneeling in fresh snow-melt to look at a Snow Plant (sar-CO-deez san-GUIN-ea), learning to cross-country ski in Yosemite Valley as the soft snow started coming down in big, lazy flakes, kneeling again in a mountain meadow to look at a Rosy Pussytoes (an-ten-AIR-ee-a RO-zee-ah), eating Snickers Bars at Yosemite Falls in the summertime and watching him giggle uncontrollably when we started calling them Sniggers Bars, seeing a pair of white swans float not 5 feet overhead as they flew into land at an artesian well near Eureka Dunes, helping him count birds at Bolsa Chica Bay for his master’s thesis and there learning the importance of scientific rigor, driving with him in his truck and having him hit the brakes hard when he identified a black-crowned night heron at the length of a football field, eating ice cream at 31 Flavors and picking out a donut at Winchell’s, him teaching me how to tie a square knot, and then, once more -- kneeling with him in the sweet-smelling spring earth while he taught me how to fertilize a rose. I know my brothers all have similar special moments that jump out at them when they think about our Dad.
These are the gifts he gave us.
I’m my father’s daughter. In high school I was placed in a general science class, and on the first day when the teacher asked who could tell him what ecology was, my hand shot up. ‘It’s the study of different ecosystems.’ The teacher chuckled sort of dismissively and said, ‘Well, that’s obvious.’ As he turned away, up went my hand again, ‘Well, okay, it’s the study of how plants and animals interact with their environment. There are many ecosystems that we might study here—wetlands, chaparral, oak woodlands, and redwood communities are a few.’
I am my father’s daughter, and as is hereditary with the Sully’s, I was asked not to come back to class and they moved me to Typing 101.
It was my honor to take care of Dad after Jeanie passed away, and with the help of my wonderful husband Jim we tried to give him a life that was as full of moments of joy as we could. We watched sunsets at the beach and walked in the Redwoods and saw how renewed he was by their awe-inspiring beauty, went birding at Elkhorn Slough, pruned roses and scattered wildflower seeds. Later on, as our time together got small, we sat in the evening sun and he told me stories of his life as a kid in Big Sur and Carmel, all the kitty kats in his life, and we planned what we would do when we won the lottery. He loved potty humor and Dad jokes and looking back on his life it might be easy to forget how fiery he would become when it came to protecting wildlands. The states of California and Oregon actually owe him quite a bit in terms of protecting sensitive areas for future generations—the Bolsa Chica Wetlands, Sespe Creek and the Sespe Wilderness Area, San Bruno Mountain—his initial biological survey led to the recommendation that the Devil’s Slide bypass go under the mountain instead of a cut and fill that would have destroyed hundreds of acres of what he called one of the most biologically significant areas in California—the Klamath Basin Wildlife Complex, Mount Ashland middle fork… And could he ever write a letter. He did not give up. He once told me with pride that the governor of Oregon contacted the Executive Board of the Sierra Club to try to get my Dad to stop writing him letters.
When we talk about how he lived his life serving on Nature’s behalf, it isn’t just about a lover of nature who noticed and observed the beauty that the outdoors has to offer – it’s about an individual who possessed a passion for action, who turned his love into the resolve and drive needed to give voice to the voiceless, to protect the most vulnerable citizens of our planet—the plants and animals that can’t speak for themselves, but who among them make up the ecosystems of our beautiful, beautiful world.
There will soon be a bench in a new park in Ashland—a parcel of land that will be kept in its natural state except for a couple of footpaths. The bench will have the marker on it that says, ‘John and Jean Sully – They lived their lives serving on Nature’s behalf, as noble a mission as we can imagine.’
It’s the hope of my family that someday someone who has been walking in this new park with their head bent botanizing or their eyes to sky birding might pause at this bench for a moment to rest, reflect, and perhaps be inspired to spend some of their own lives working on nature’s behalf.
This is the gift my father gave all of us.
Louise Sully Mintun
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(emailed to the family of John Sully) posted a condolence
Thursday, September 16, 2021
John Sully was a friend of mine. He always had a happy smile on his face. This was how most people saw John. But I also saw the fierce, determined side of John. We worked side by side in the Sierra Club twenty years ago. John was an ardent supporter of protecting the Ashland Watershed - even starring in a video we made. He would become the most determined person I’ve ever seen. He would ask tough questions of local officials and call “bullshit” when necessary.
He may have been an even bigger force in support of the Klamath Dam removals. He took the lead on the project, and was stunned when the Sierra Club balked at dam removal. He fought to bring the SC back to the side of wildlife, that is - dam removal. He led us and we followed…and it was a pleasure to do so.
For those two awesome tasks that he took on, and because of who he was, I presented him with a Sierra Club award - he was one of only three that I awarded over more than a decade.
John willingly got into the trenches and fought for nature. He was a force to be reckoned with…and one of the nicest guys that I’ve ever known.
John - I miss you, and so does nature.
Tom Dimitre
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(emailed to the family of John Sully) posted a condolence
Tuesday, September 14, 2021
I’ve been thinking of John the last few weeks. My mom, Helen Matelson, loved him so dearly as a boss and as a friend. He was a delightful man, excellent naturalist and we loved spending time with him and Jean.
Teri Matelson
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(emailed to the family of John Sully) posted a condolence
Tuesday, September 14, 2021
Condolences to you and your family. John was a great guy and a solid environmental advocate. I am honored to have known him.
Felice Pace
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(emailed to the family of John Sully) posted a condolence
Saturday, September 11, 2021
I am so sorry to hear of John’s passing. He was a wonderful man. We loved visiting him and Jean in Ashland. My dad, William R. Nelson MD, was related to John. I believe they were second cousins. Whenever my dad came to visit us in Corvallis (from his home in Denver) we would try to make it down to visit John and Jean.
All the best to you and your family. We are thinking of you and sending best wishes during this difficult time.
Kim Nelson and Will Wright
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(emailed to the family of John Sully) posted a condolence
Thursday, September 9, 2021
I knew your dad since 1995 when we moved to Jacksonville and joined the local Sierra Club. But I really got to know him when he could always be counted on to help a few of us assemble and mail our monthly newsletter! I was the chairperson for the newsletter and there were months when it was just 3 or 4 of us. Other times we were luckier and had a dozen people show up. I really enjoyed talking with him at those little get togethers. I am just now 70 but age doesn’t matter with friends.
He was a really lovely person.
Kristin Biechler
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(emailed to the family of John Sully) posted a condolence
Thursday, September 9, 2021
I would like to share with you a few fond memories I have of John. We met at the Sierra Club directors' meetings. I went to observe and John talked me into becoming a director. His passion was the Klamath Basin and the large problem waterfowl were having because of the draining of so much of the water resources by farmers and ranchers. We talked a lot, it was an education. He was indeed a kind, happy and intelligent man.
My condolences to you Louise, his family and friends.
Jack Methot
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Marie lit a candle
Tuesday, May 26, 2020
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A beautiful tribute to your father in the obituary. How wonderful a life he lived and did so much for the natural environment. Truly a life worth emulating for generations. Love, Aunt Marie
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Monday, May 18, 2020
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