Obituary of Carol L. Sullivan

Irondequoit, NY Spring 2026 - After a long battle with cancer, Carol Lynn Sullivan passed away in the early hours on Monday, May 18, at home, surrounded by her family. 

Carol was born on the first day of spring in 1955 in Astoria, Queens, and grew up in Pound Ridge, NY. Upon deciding to study nursing, Carol moved to Rochester, where she attended and received her BS in Nursing at SUNY Brockport. She worked as the Charge Nurse at Jordan Health Center’s OBGYN Clinic and as an NICU nurse at Strong Memorial Hospital. During COVID, Carol took a position as a Contact Tracer.  

Carol’s long-time work was running what has grown into a 40-year-old, generational, commercial photography business with her husband Wayne, and sons Matthew and Ethan. She was an integral part of operations right up until the very end of her life.

Carol’s true passion and life’s work, however, were her three children, husband, and cats, loving on them at every possible opportunity. Carol loved her family fiercely, and that love gave her the strength, determination, and willpower to survive four plus years of ovarian cancer.

In her free time, Carol was an avid Ceramicist, making hundreds of pieces during her life. A visit with Carol often resulted in a cherished gift of a mug or bowl. Carol opened her own pottery business - Carol Lynn Pottery - and began selling her work at craft shows and online.  She was a long-time member of The Flower City Art Center and loved her “mudding” community. She also loved Birding and being outside on a warm summer's day in her vegetable garden, which she would spend hours planning and planting. Carol also loved reading and frequently devoured at least a book a week.

Carol is preceded by her parents, Robert and Philomena Sullivan. She is survived by her loving husband of 46 years, Wayne Calabrese, her children - Matthew Calabrese (Megan Murphy), Heather Calabrese (Celia Sagastume), and Ethan Calabrese (Michaela Walsh), her siblings - Barry Sullivan and Barbara Sullivan - O’Connor as well as nieces and nephews Randi Sullivan, Kerri Sullivan, Philip Sullivan, Ryan O’Connor, Jason O’Connor, Kaley Ripa Tuffano, Cody Ripa, Kim Calabrese, Lucia Calabrese, and their significant others.

A celebration of life service will be held for Carol at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations in support of the Women’s Cancer Research Fund (A04016) at the University of Rochester.

Contributions can be sent to:

Attn: Dianne Moll, University of Rochester, Bloch Alumni and Advancement Center, Box 278996, Rochester, NY 14627. Envelopes for donations can also be provided upon request.

Donors may also give online at the following link:

https://tinyurl.com/Womens-Cancer-Research-Fund (Under the “designation” section, please select Women’s Cancer Research Fund (A04016).