Sean Sullivan

Sean Michael Sullivan passed away on March 8 after a courageous battle with glioblastoma. Born Oct. 3, 1964, to Margaret (Daigneault) Sullivan and the late William Sullivan, Sean led a life filled with laughter, love, vibrance and creativity.

In 1992, Sean married his best friend and life partner, Kristin Molinari. They settled in Hopkinton and started their family. Sean loved spending time with his family. He coached youth soccer teams and shared his love for mountain biking through rides in the backyard and on local trails. In the summertime, he enjoyed lying by the pool or vacationing at the beach on Martha’s Vineyard while listening to good tunes and enjoying a crisp IPA. His playful sense of humor was a constant source of laughter.

Music served as a lifelong passion and source of joy for Sean, who started playing in bands at a young age. In 2008, Sean reunited with childhood friends to form Pint Special. The band became a local favorite, performing regularly at the Bolton Street Tavern. Annual St. Patrick’s Day appearances were quite the hit! Later, Sean joined Glowbox as a vocalist and bass guitar player. He established himself as an integral member of the ensemble right away, transforming our basement into a rock ’n’ roll room for weekly practice sessions! Musically, Sean leaves his mark on the group as a songwriter and producer. Recording a record with Glowbox and playing gigs around the Boston area, including the annual International Pop Overthrow, was a highlight of his musical career. Sean’s pure love of music and his discipline and dedication to improving his craft were appreciated by all who had the honor of playing with him. A true rock star, Sean also loved American muscle cars, owning his first car before getting his driver’s license. Back in the day, you could find him in the school drop-off line in his beloved furious fuchsia Dodge Challenger.

Beyond music, Sean explored photography and videography, capturing many family moments and enjoying nature. He encountered different bird species in our backyard and on vacation trips to Naples, Florida. An avid mountain biker, Sean began filming his own original mountain biking videos and posting them to his website, IWantMyMTB.com, earning accolades for his editing work. These videos showcased him and his friends performing jumps, technical sections and shenanigans on the local New England trails.

Professionally, Sean built a successful career as a software engineer. Most recently, he spent eight years as a team lead and then a development manager for the Test and Measurement Group at MathWorks in Natick. Known for his disciplined attitude and hard-working spirit, Sean was a respected mentor and sought-after leader. His legacy will live on through the impact he had on colleagues and friends.

Sean is lovingly remembered by his wife, Kristin, children Harry, Nick and Caroline, sister Kathy O’Hara, and mother Margaret Sullivan, as well as nieces, nephews, friends and colleagues. Donations to support brain cancer research in honor of Sean can be made to the American Brain Tumor Association online at bit.ly/DonateABTA.

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