Mary Kathleen Sulick…oldest daughter of Paul and Clara Richards and for over fifty years the wife of Dr. Edward J. Sulick passed peacefully Thursday February 23, 2012, surrounded by her children and close friends after a valiant, year long battle with ALS…Lou Gehrigs disease. While this terrible affliction may have undermined some of her physical capacity…it only served to strengthen her indominable spirit…and as we saw over the past year…Mary Kay was at her finest…right to the end. Our mom leaves us with a legacy of emotional strength, artistic creativity and solid, unquestioned Christian values that were passed to her children and anyone who met her. Mary Kay was predeceased by her husband Ed and her wonderful sister…Patricia Anderson…as well as her brother William Richards. Her proudest achievement was her family…she leaves seven children… Attorney James Sulick and his wife Marijean McKeon and Robert and Danita Sulick of Manchester. Thomas and Patricia Sulick of Wilmington Mass., Jane Sulick and John Sulick…both of Salem New Hampshire. Peter Sulick of Colchester and Nancy (Sulick) and her husband Attorney Joseph Moynihan of Quincy Massachusetts…and last but far from least…our Mom's favorite four legged companion "Murphy" the West Highland Terrier. She also leaves her seven grandchildren… Elizabeth Sulick of Manchester, Colin Sulick of Newport RI, Kate Sulick of Portland Maine, Molly Sulick of Manchester CT, Caroline, Charlotte and Adam Sulick of Wilmington, Mass. She also leaves a host of nieces and nephews as well as friends and relatives in all corners of the country. Our mother was born in Hot Springs South Dakota on September 13, 1929…the granddaughter of true American pioneers who emigrated from Indiana, and Wisconsin to establish a ranch in Woonsocket South Dakota…where her parents…Dr. Paul Richards and Clara Vetter met and started their family in the early 1920's. Mary Kay graduated from St. Francis Xavier College in Chicago with a BS in Nursing and was a Registered Nurse working at Georgetown University Hospital where she met our Dad while he was a student in medical school. They moved to Manchester in 1960 and became life long parishioners of St. James Church. Mary Kay was an active member of the Manchester Hospital Auxiliary, The Daughters of the American Revolution… and many other social and community associations. She played a mean game of tennis for many years at the Manchester Racquet Club. Mary Kay at one time had seven children on the Manchester Country Club swim team and was instrumental in assuring we all participated in sports, the arts, and had a strong sense of giving back to the community. She had a special place in her heart for Camp Kennedy and Instructors of the Handicapped. Mary Kay held court for almost fifty years at her summer home in Point O Woods in South Lyme. She will miss her beach friends…the days of watching Wimbledon and the US open and all the beach events she loved so much. The Sulick family would like to thank the many people who have done so much, who through their actions let our mother know how much they cared and loved her. We would especially like to acknowledge the efforts of Heim Home Health Companions and the Visiting Nurses Association of Ct/Vernon. Their efforts over the past year are a testament to the love and generosity of human spirit…which was what our mother lived for and worked toward in her long wonderful life. Funeral service will be held on Tuesday (February 28th) at 10:00 am at St. James Church 896 Main Street Manchester, followed by burial in St. James Cemetery. Family and friends may call at the John F. Tierney Funeral Home 219 West Center St. Manchester on Monday from 4-8 pm. In Lieu of flowers donation can be made to: Visiting Nurses Association of Vernon or The ALS Association, Ct Chapter, 4 Oxford Rd. Unit D4, Milford CT 06460. For online condolences please visit www.tierneyfuneralhome.com.