Kathleen Sullivan Walter

Kathleen (Kathy) Marie Sullivan Walter, beloved mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend, passed away peacefully at home on July 24, 2025, surrounded by her family, following a brief but courageous battle with cancer.

Born on February 2, 1953, in White Plains, New York, Kathy was the youngest of eight children of John Jeremiah Sullivan, Sr. and Eleanor Marie O’Brien Sullivan. Her father’s career as a construction supervisor took the family across the country, and Kathy often joked that her siblings were “deposited” in different states as they began their adult lives. Of all the places they lived when she was a child, she held a special fondness for Providence, Rhode Island, where she spent joyful days on the beach with her siblings, throwing (yes, throwing) jellyfish and making memories.

The family eventually settled in Lexington, Kentucky, where Kathy graduated from Lexington Catholic High School. After spending a year at Western Kentucky University, she transferred to the University of Louisville, where she graduated as valedictorian of the College of Education and later earned her Master’s degree. Few find as much joy as Kathy did in nurturing and developing young children, and this passion led her to a fulfilling career in education. She taught at-risk Preschool and Kindergarten through Second Grade at Maryville Elementary and Freedom Elementary Schools, where her dedication, warmth, and creativity left a lasting impact on generations of students.

Kathy’s greatest joy, however, was her family. She was preceded in death by her parents and seven siblings, John (Jerry) Sullivan, Jr., Joan Haney, Jim Sullivan, Joe Sullivan, Judy Prell, Mike Sullivan, and Brien Sullivan. She is survived by her three children: Becky Hines, Erin Barton (Neil), and Doug Walter (Mallory); her seven cherished grandchildren: Cole and Kendall Barton, Quinn and Graham Hines and Will, Eliot and Jack Walter; many beloved nieces and nephews; and her faithful dog, Murphy.

Her love extended through many deep friendships – to know her was not just to love her, but to be loved by her. The family will miss her quick wit, her unmatched vocabulary and the way her grandchildren sprinted into her arms whenever they saw her. They will enjoy, however, finally winning a game of trivial pursuit.

A visitation will be held on Sunday, August 3, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m., followed by a Celebration of Life at 4:00 p.m., at Newcomer Funeral Home, 235 Juneau Drive, Louisville, Kentucky 40243. To view the service live, please use the link below. 

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations be made to the Dolly Parton Imagination Library.