Detroit Free Press: Funeral trends and tips for families
The Detroit Free Press recently ran two stories with useful information about how to plan and manage costs connected to your funeral. This article reports that 59 percent of families now choose cremation over burial, a trend we see here at Sullivan & Son. The articles quotes our co-owner, Michael Lope, reporting that, even when […]
Funeral-related images from a trip to Italy
Our blog editor visited Italy recently and shared these photos with us. The hearse is a Mercedes Benz and, while we admire its style, we’re going to stick with our American-made Cadillacs! She also visited an Etruscan museum with extensive funerary artifacts, like this crematory urn. These were elaborately decorated, with an often-lifelike portrait of […]
Generous families bring holiday gifts for kids
Every year we collect Toys for Tots in our two lobbies. Often donations come from people who attended our services of remembrance. “People attending the service are surprised to see the collection boxes,” says Co-owner Mike Lope. “But every year our boxes fill up two or three days after the service. People come back and […]
Jim Sullivan served his country and now serves our families
Meet Jim Sullivan, a fourth-generation member of the family who recently returned to the business. His involvement, along with that of his cousin Mike, helps ensure that the funeral homes in Royal Oak and Utica will take care of another generation of families. Jim graduated from Shrine High School in Royal Oak and then the […]
Mike Lope elected president of Detroit area funeral directors group
Sullivan Co-owner Michael Lope has been elected to a one-year position as president of the Michigan Funeral Directors Association Sixth District, representing metro Detroit. He is the fourth family member to hold the office, preceded by his grandfather, Jim Sullivan; father, Ray Lope, and uncle, Bill Sullivan. Fellow funeral director Sherry Marshall also has held […]

