Mary Lou Sullivan

Norwalk, Iowa – Mary Lou Sullivan, 95, of The Norwalk Nursing & Rehab Center passed away Wednesday, December 24th, 2025.  She was previously a long-time resident of Dubuque.

Friends and family may gather at Resurrection Church in Dubuque from 9:30 to 11:00 AM on Monday, December 29th.  Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 11:00 AM, officiated by Fr. Phillip Gibbs.  Burial will follow at Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Key West.  Leonard Funeral Home & Crematory, Dubuque, IA is assisting the family. A live stream of the funeral mass can be viewed on the funeral home Facebook page at 11:00 a.m. on Monday. 

Mary Lou was born June 23, 1930, in Boone, the daughter of Edward and Louise (Tonsfeldt) Shell.  She graduated from Boone High School in 1948.  She married James Sullivan on January 4, 1950, at Sacred Heart Church in Boone.

Mary Lou held various retail, banking and customer service jobs while raising her family, eventually working alongside Jim at the Dubuque Religious Center church goods store that they opened together in 1976.  Their son Tim continues to operate this business today.

Mary Lou’s favorite hobby was the occasional visit to the casino, where she claims to have seldom had a losing day.  She also enjoyed cooking and baking.  Her apple pie was a family favorite.  She also enjoyed traveling.  Her and Jim took numerous cruises over the years. 

Those left to cherish her memory are her children, Marcia Daszko of Santa Clara, CA, Mike (Patty) Sullivan of Gowen, MI, Terry (Bob) Askelson of Norwalk, IA and Tim (Marge) Sullivan of Dubuque, six grandchildren, Tim Daszko, Kelly DeMara, Chad Davis, Katie Chicione, Kimmy Schimek and Christopher Sullivan, fourteen great-grandchildren, her sister Joyce (Ken) Patten and brother Mahlon (Fern) Shell, sisters in law Alma Shell and Joan Yegge and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Jim in 2013, sisters Verdine, Iola, Jane, Fran and Karen and a brother Leland.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the BrightFocus Foundation at www.donate.brightfocus.org in support of their research toward a cure for Macular Degeneration.  On-line condolences may be left for the family at www.leonardfuneralhome.com.

Marcia, Mike & Tim would like to thank their sister Terry and her husband Bob for their countless hours of care, errands and appointments and for dealing patiently and tirelessly with the many challenges mom faced later in life.    

To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.