Longest Will County advocate of crime victims, families retires after 35 year career

After 35 years, Kelly Sullivan has retired from the Will County State’s Attorney’s Office as the longest advocate of countless victims of crimes and their families, many of whom she still keeps in touch with and supports decades later.

Sullivan was a former Catholic school teacher for five years before she joined the state’s attorney’s office on May 16, 1988, for a position with their victim witness services program, which is now in its 40th year. Since then, Sullivan has supported numerous victims of crimes and their families throughout her career.

One of the most high-profile cases Sullivan worked on was assisting the family of three children and mother, Kimberly Vaughn, who were horrifically killed in 2007 by father and husband, Christopher Vaughn, 48. He is serving life in prison after he was convicted of the murders in 2012.

“Keeping the family on track was so absolutely critical to the successful prosecution of that case,” said Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow, who counted the Vaughn case one of the biggest challenges of Sullivan’s career.

Glasgow said she has been “available more than the attorneys.”

“There has never been anyone in our victim services with more dedication to her craft,” he said.

He said if the people Sullivan worked with had any questions, such as anything they’ve read about a case in a newspaper, they can always call her and “get some peace of mind.”

Sullivan considered the transition from a teacher caring for children to an advocate supporting victims of crime a “natural evolution.”

Sullivan grew up in a “large, loving Irish Catholic family” in Lyons, where her father, Robert Sullivan, was a longtime police chief and her mother, Sheila Sullivan, was a nurse.

Sullivan attended Nazareth Academy and Concordia College, where she majored in elementary education, psychology and sociology, according to the state’s attorney’s office.

Sullivan said when she was hired, she was one of two victim witness advocates and there were barely any resources to support the program.

“When I first started, we only had typewriters,” she said.

Now the program has grown to eight advocates, plus executive director Nichole Pasteris. The program offers services such as information to people on their rights as victims, safety planning, counseling, explanation of criminal cases and trial preparation.

There has never been anyone in our victim services with more dedication to her craft

—  Will County State's Attorney James Glasgow

Sullivan said under the leadership of Glasgow, who was first elected as the county’s state’s attorney in 1992, victim witness advocacy has become “more educated and informed.”

“For that, I am very impressed and thankful,” Sullivan said.

In the course of Sullivan’s work, she has provided emotional support along with any other support by victims and their families, as well as taking phone calls at any time, even during the late evening hours.

Sullivan worked in the felony division for the state’s attorney’s office for 27 years before moving to the juvenile division about eight years ago.

Sullivan still keeps in touch with many of the people she has supported, such as the family of the victims who were killed by Major Morris, 83.

“I’ve still been assisting them,” Sullivan said.

Morris been in prison since 1997 after he was convicted of killing Roberta Anderson in 1973 and Margaret Stirn in 1978. For 23 years, Sullivan has been advocating for the families of the victim and will continue to support them at Morris’ parole hearings, according to the state’s attorney’s office.

Glasgow said Sullivan was “one of the pioneers of our victim witness services here in Will County.”

“We’re sad to see her go,” he said.

Sullivan said she’s had a “wonderful career” at the state’s attorney’s office.

“I will miss this place dearly,” Sullivan said.