Happy Birthday, Bitsy!

Dear Hearts,

June 30th is the birthday of Elizabeth Ann Cusick Sullivan: daughter of Budd and June; sister of Katherine, Linda, Debra and Brian; mother of Rick and Maggie; stepmother of Jim, Mick and Mary, Amos and Sara, Miles and Sarah and Francie; grandmother of Rachel, Oscar, Beatrice, Georgia, Maeve, James, Silas, Marcos, Roman and Carmen; sister-in-law, aunt, cousin and friend to manu more lucky people. Everyone calls her Bitsy.

For over three decades, Bitsy worked in her true vocation as a grade school teacher and is now enjoying retirement knowing she helped shaped the minds and hearts of so many children. The world continues to benefit from her talents--her kindness, wisdom, work ethic, sense of humor, patience and intelligence--and her family and neighbors are continually blessed with her artistry in the garden. I've never seen such beautiful flower beds in real life!

She won the highest accolades from the Munster Garden Club who sponsors the annual Garden Walk—8 homes are chosen for hundreds of people to tour. The proceeds go to the high school and to training of the disabled for gardening. Bitsy got the yard just perfect and everybody said it was the best garden and yard they had ever seen—she’s a Master Gardener, registered in the state of Indiana, and is at the top of her game.

Bitsy is Jim's soulmate and his inspiration, and their life together is truly something to admire.

Happy Birthday, sweet Bitsy, and may you have 51 more healthy ones, by the Aunt Joannie Sullivan Law of Longevity Aspiration of 2008.

God bless us and save us and keep us from harm.

Love, Patty

Below is a little tale about Bitsy's ancestors, from Jim.

THE TALE OF BITSY'S ANCESTORS

We participated in the IBM/ national Geographic/ Waitt Family Foundation joint venture called Deep Ancestry. You can find it at www.nationalgeographic.com.

I sent them the fee and they sent us three kits: one for my Y-chromosome, one for Fran's mitochondrial DNA, and one for Bitsy's mitochondrial DNA. Patty did this also, for her mitochondrial DNA. Here's what that means.

The baby gets a dad contribution, sperm, which is nothing but a DNA pack with a tail, much like most of us men. In there is the X or Y chromosome. Some sperms are X, some Y.

X make girls, Y make boys. To track a boy's DNA, they use the Y-chromosome he got from his father, so the heritage is father to father to father to father etc., ad infinitum ad nauseam.

The baby also gets, on the other hand, a mom contribution, the egg. Now the egg is a real cell, unlike the sperm which is just moving genetic material.

In this real cell is a nucleus, which has the sex chromosomes, always X. So everybody gets an X from their mother, girls get an X from their father, boys get a Y from their father.

But ALSO in this egg cell are mitochondria, little power plants, and they have their own DNA in them, called mitochondrial DNA (m-DNA). So every baby gets the m-DNA from the mother, with the egg, but boys don't pass it on because they don't pass on eggs, onlysperm. Girls DO pass the m-DNA on.

So, to track the lineage of girls, they track the m-DNA. Mother to mother to mother, etc.

The gene of TRUE relationship always comes from the mother. The Jews and the Spanish (our people) understood this a long, long time ago, somehow.

If you go to the website and plug in the code, given to us from the analysis and kept secret by the joint venture, you can see where our DNA came from after it left the original place where the ancestress of EVERY SINGLE HUMAN LIVING ON THE EARTH TODAY came from, the Olduvai gorge in East Africa, some 65,000 years ago.

By getting my Y-chromosome, I have the path of the genes of every single male whose father is named Sullivan in this clan. I also have the contribution of those males to their daughters, but those genes won't be as trackable.

By getting Patty's m-DNA, we have the path of every female descended from Boom Boom, and all their female descendants, etc., since her only children who lived were girls. We also got those mothers' contributions to their sons, that won't pass on. By getting Fran's I got the m-DNA that she and my sons got from their mother. There are many other chromosomes that could be tracked, admittedly, but that would be monumental, so they just go with Y and m-DNA.

Then we decided to check out Bitsy's and this is the astonishing result: her haplogroup left East Africa, went to the Sinai, split into branches. One went up to Kazakhstan and split. One of its branches went to the great steppes and split again. Bitsy's branch went into Siberia and split a fourth time. Bitsy's branch went to the western edge of China, in Genghis Khan's territory and split once more. Her split went north and east over the desert to the Bering Sea and split in its last mutation. Her branch of that mutation, or split, entered North America and migrated south and east and made its way to the foot of Lake Michigan!

Bitsy is an Indian, and before that she was Chinese and before that Mongol, then Russian, etc.

All the way back, we were all, each and every single one of us, BLACK! Blackie is the purest of us all. It's the God's-honest scientific truth. Ancestral Eve, from Olduvai, 65,000 years ago-we have her bones- has the gene possessed by every single living human being in the entire world!

If the implications of that ever really sink in, there are a lot of incredible things that could happen.

By the way, our Y chromosome's last stop is in northwest Spain, just as Lefty and his ancestors claimed. That haplogroup has migrated to three places: southwest Ireland (the Beare peninsula), Normandy, and Wales. Our genes are the same as 90 percent of the men in southwest Ireland and the 90 percent of the men in the northwest corner of Spain.

Bitsy's haplogroup's last mutation was at the foot of Lake Michigan. The chromosome has not mutated yet since then. That was about 8000 BC. So how did she get to be a cute little Irish chick?

Here's what we pieced together: The French explorers, probably Normans, were over here going up and down the rivers in the 1600's. Father Marquette, Louis Joliet, LaSalle, they were the kingpins. They discovered and navigated the Chicago, the Calumet, the DesPlaines, the Illinois, the Mississippi rivers, paving the way for Iberville and Bienville to get all the way down to New Orleans. They had big parties of soldiers and voyageurs with them.

There was a beautiful Potowatomi, or Fox, or Sauk Indian lass from around here at the foot of Lake Michigan someplace- becauseour neighborhood right here is the old Indian stomping grounds-and a voyageur fell in love with her, persuading her to come back to France with him when they returned home. They were all Catholics and had the Jesuits with them-Marquette was a Jesuit- and the Jebbies would have made the men marry their women instead of just scooping them up. So this beautiful Indian maid, with gorgeous legs, goes back to Normandy, maybe to the village of de Cussac, where the Cusick's are from. The voyageur who married her was maybe named Doe. They had babies who married French people and ten generations went by, the Indian m-DNA going from mother to mother to mother until one of the (by now thoroughly French with the Indian forgotten and submerged in all the French genes) mothers immigrates to Paris, Illinois. And in the 1920's a cute little girl named June Doe is born, meets a soldier named Edgar Allen "Budd" Cusick ( whose ancestors came from de Cussac, were Norman knights who invaded England, and four generations later were sent to Ireland with the Fitzgeralds where they became the Cusack's, and the name morphed in Ireland to Cusick, then they immigrated to Paris Illinois in the 1830's) and the two of them have an ostensible Irish-French American baby girl named Bitsy, who is actually an Asian femme de la reve, and a Fox Indian.

Now, when Bitsy sees an Indian, she points and says, "My people."

The website explains this in wonderful depth. It is moving and beautiful. We found all this out by following an ad for Deep Ancestry in the Chicago Tribune. The data base is growing daily.

The science above is true. It is valid and well documented.

My story.... well.... it's a good story and I'm sticking to it. I learned that from my parliamentary brother John and my journalistic brother Blackie, and my politically astute brother Mike, and my dramatically trained brother Matt.

It's a family story, and may contain the Voice of the Ancestors. I'll have to check with Gus.

But Bitsy is my Irish Indian babe. And, thanks be to God, she is safe. Happy Birthday, Honey. I love you.

God bless us and keep us and save us from harm.

Love,

Seamus the Older

Happy Birthday, John!

Dear Hearts,

June 28th is the birthday of John Paul Sullivan: son of Mike and Joan; brother of Katie O., husband of Elizabeth; father of Charlie and Mickey; nephew, cousin and friend to scores more lucky folks.

Professionally, John is a successful manager at a nationwide company that provides HVAC services and equipment, having worked his way up through the ranks. At home, he is a loving husband and terrific dad, cooking for his crew and playing and crooning some beautiful tunes with his beautiful bride. John is and always has been passionate about life and navigates the world with compassion and intelligence.

Happy Birthday, John Paul;, and may you have 90 more healthy ones, by your Mother's Law of Longevity Aspiration of 2008.

God bless us and save us and keep us from harm.

Love, Patty

Happy Birthday, Christian!

Dear Hearts,

June 27th is the birthday of Christian Martin Whalen; son of John and Helen; brother of Teresa, Damian, Lisa and Mercy; wife of Aida; father of Nicholas, Morgan, Sean and Connor; grandfather of Isaac and Isabela; cousin, nephew and friend to many more.

Chris works as a project manager at Gallatin Construction, a company that builds and remodels custom homes and commercial structures. They are lucky to have landed Christian, who has owned his own company (Black Mountain in Missoula) for over a decade and is a talented craftsman in historic preservation, design, carpentry and more.

He's one of the older kids who carries the memories of simpler times at 704 W. 50th Street--Boom and Boompa's house on the south side of Chicago. He values family and heritage and has hung on to and shared some terrific photos from his childhood.

Happy Birthday, Christian, and may you have 57 more healthy ones, by the Aunt Joannie Sullivan Law of Longevity Aspiration of 2008.

God bless us and save us and keep us from harm.

Love, Patty

Happy Birthday, Matthew!

Dear Hearts,

June 27th is the birthday of Matthew Kermit Brogdon: son of Russ and Dagne; brother of Nathaniel; grandson of Whitey and Signe; friend and classmate to many more.

Kermit is a White family name--three consecutive Lawrence Kermit Whites--so Matthew carries the name forward. This fella is full of non-stop energy and calls Whitey and Signe Oma and Opa. He looks like Whitey, who looks like his Dad, Red. The genes keep on rolling.

Happy Birthday, Matthew, and may you have 118 more healthy ones, by the Aunt Joannie Sullivan Law of Longevity Aspiration of 2008.

God bless us and save us and keep us from harm.

Love, Patty

Happy Birthday, Gus!

Dear Hearts,

June 26th is the birthday of Augustine Paul Sullivan: son of Mike and Shelly, brother of Jake, Seamus, Mia, Sofia, Nelly and Max; cousin, nephew and friend to a bunch more lucky folks.

Gus just completed his sixth grade year at St. Gregory and, thanks to Covid-19 and quarantine, he was able to have some fun with hair styles. He's a great brother and can always be counted on for some terrific laughs. 

Happy birthday, Gus, and may you have 113 more healthy ones, by the Aunt Joannie Sullivan Law of Longevity Aspiration of 2008.

God bless us and save us and keep us from harm.

Love, Patty

God Bless Boompa

Dear Hearts,

June 25th is the 116th anniversary of the birth of Irwin Vincent Michael Wiley, born Wilcoszewski, on June 25, 1904 in Chicago, and died July 12, 1994 in California. He is my mother's father. He is our grandfather. We all called him Boompa.

To this day we all here his comments in our heads: "Don't muck around with the moon." "If you want to play, go to a gymnasium." "You little S-you's." "If it's not yours, don't fool with it." "You have to be smarter than the (fill in the blank--toaster, television, etc.)" "Did you teach the teacher anything today?"

He was a child prodigy, graduating from high school at 15, and from Crane Tech at 17. He was a licensed, registered professional engineer for 70 years. He surveyed the ways and calculated the slopes and curves of the road bed from Chicago to Montana, on foot, walking behind the train, for the Milwaukee Railroad. He worked there for almost 50 years.

He went to Mass every morning, even when he became a very old man and it took him an hour to walk the four blocks. He had Spartan discipline. When he became a grandfather at age 44, he realized the impact of his example, and immediately quit smoking, a lifelong habit. Stopped cold and never backslid.

When he began to see signs of the Irish Monster of Alcoholism crop up and begin to eat into the souls of the family, he stopped drinking altogether, quietly, even though he never had the problem himself. He could be a problem drinker from moment to moment, and there are some very wild stories about him, but mostly, he was moderate, and his life was pretty normal. His father had it bad, and so he knew its ravages.

When he was 50, he weighed 165 pounds. He began marking his birthdays backward then, counting down from 50, so that when he was 60 he said he was 40. He declared that he would lose a pound a year for the rest of his life, and when he died, 40 years later at 90, (10), he was exactly 40 pounds lighter, at 125! A spartan engineer!

When we were kids, Boom and Boomp had their house stocked with stuff that never entered our house or only lasted ten seconds there. Coca Cola, bottle after bottle, larders full of it, dill pickles, ice cream, cherries, sausage roll-ups. We used to sleep up in the attic, a wonderland of cool stuff. Boompa hid a stack of Playboy magazines up there, out in the open where we could find them and managed to never catch us looking at them.

He created a gigantic sandbox, filled with Lake Michigan sand, under his back porch steps, in the middle of the Back of the Yards neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago, for his grandchildren. It was like a miracle-land. He put in an entirely new bathroom, carpentry, masonry, plumbing, electrics, tile, the works, by himself, with those toughened, incredibly strong and gentle hands of his, when he was 65.

He was a pure blooded Pole, descended from the leader of the Reds, Wilkoszewski, and the leader of the Whites, Gorczynski, from a hundred years earlier in Gdansk, home of the shipyard revolution led by Lech Walensa, that blossomed into the Glasnost movement that ultimately liberated Poland, along with 45 years of American vigilance along the NATO border.

But he was more Irish than most of the Irish in the neighborhood, because he inhaled the very soul of Boom Boom.

Frances Sheehan, daughter of John and Catherine Sheehan. Catherine took Frances aside, when Fran was about 19 and said, "Woosha, don't marry one o' those barbarian Irish boys. You see your cousins, the Fitzgeralds, over here breakin' up the farniture, biting the paperboy, drinking like bristling hogs. Look at those Polish Wiley boys, with their shined shoes and combed hair, going to Communion with their mother. That Irwin, there, he's the best of the bunch." Boom Boom looked him over. They were married until she died in 1997 at age 94.

One of the most telling events of his life took place when he was 14. He came downstairs, got his lunch pail from his beautiful and gentle mother, Wanda Zinn Wilkoszewski, kissed her goodbye and went to school. Then he never saw her again. She died of the Spanish flu that morning, the authorities took her away to the morgue with the thousands of others in the city of Chicago--it was the horrible Spanish flu epidemic of 1918--and she was buried without an open casket. I think he may have spent the next 76 years looking for her, never having that book closed in his mind, never having seen her dead, never really believing it. When she would come up in family talk, I used to watch him bow his head and close his eyes and then look away.

Margaret was sitting with him just before he died, (Just a day or so earlier he described how he had "just been at a cocktail party with some of his brothers and Aunt Pat Leonard and some others from the old neighborhood." All these people had been gone for years. He said the hors d'ouevres were ok but the cheese was a little stale.) But on this occasion, he was holding on to life. Monsignor Maher had been in to see him and proclaimed him the "deepest faith I have ever witnessed."

He used to say that there were two guides for us all the time. First, he said, "Just think about Jesus. There's your example." And he said, "Sometimes you get a hunch, or a nudge, or a little accident happily occurs--that's the Holy Spirit."

He was holding on for something. Margy told him how we were all ok, he had taken real good care of the family, it was ok for him to go. Then he sat up, raised his arms up and smiled as if he saw something, and said, "Mama. Mama. Mama." Then he lay back down, closed his eyes, and in a few minutes quietly slipped into the Hands of God, and I believe, the loving arms of Wanda Zinn Wilcoszewski. I think she brought him into the world, and was there to take him out, as if not an hour had passed since she had handed him his lunch and kissed him goodbye.

The world is a lot better because he was here. He is still here.

Happy Birthday, Boompa. Please keep watching over us like you have always done.

God bless us and keep us and save us from harm.

Love, Patty & Seamus the Older

Out of Asia

I saw the blow strike, the cheek turn-be turned.

The eyes closed, the mouth clamped, the brow twisted.

I saw the billions pouring over the cliff into the sea, saw the Asian swarm.

Suffering Asia, epicanthic folds aligned like fish,

Dying in incredible array.

I saw it in one blow-before Viet Nam.

I have seen it since in nearly every race of man:

My own baby progeny, stepped down from me twice, and his fold.

My daughter, my grandfather, my own eye with Slavic ramp.

When he felt most like crying, my grandfather squinted.

He never cried but he suffered. Before he died he lifted up his arms and said “Mama.”

Then he went, closed his folds, over the cliff. So do we all.

And it seems we all squint.

Sully

Happy Birthday, Signe!

Dear Hearts,

June 25th is the birthday of Signe Astrid Pabst White: Whitey's beloved bride; mother of Abigail, Kermit, Mike and Dagne; grandmother of Little Kermit and Nathaniel Brogdon. She is daughter, daughter-in-law twice, and wife of US Army Full Colonels, all decorated and distinguished soldiers.

Signe is the model and archetype for the valiant Army wife, the Lady of the Regiment, the Keeper of the Home Flame, without which the U.S. Army would crumble into an ashen heap of confused families.

She has given much to her Country, having lost her first husband, killed in action, in Vietnam. He was Air Force pilot 1LT Mike Minor, Jim and Whitey's classmate and friend, Whitey's soccer teammate and childhood Army Buddy. She stood sentinel until Whitey's return home from the war zone, once again, or wherever he has to go, and supervised the building of their new house down near the Mountain Ranger Camp, near Toccoa in North Georgia.

She has stood with Whitey during 28 years of arduous military service, a lot of it in hazardous duty, not only for Whitey, but from time to time hazardous for Signe. She lived behind the Iron Curtain, deep in Indian Country, surrounded by the enemy, behind fortified walls, for three years. She has moved literally everything the family owned, every feather and pickle barrel, two dozen times.

During all this, she looks like an A-List celebrity. She is one in a million, without peer as an Army wife, as a mother, as a daughter, as a sister, as a friend, as a woman.

Happy Birthday, Signe, and may you have 55 more healthy ones, by the Aunt Joannie Sullivan Law of Longevity Aspiration of 2008.

God bless us and save us and keep us from harm.

Love, Patty & Seamus the Older

Happy Birthday, John!

Dear Hearts,

June 24th is the birthday of Dr. John Ullmen. John was a fellow mentor with Seamus the Older and Gus Lee at West Point for the National Conference on Ethics in America. Jim says they became friends because of John's openness, generosity and love of country, and willingness to mentor and teach our young officers and college students. Plus he's just a real good guy and smart as a whip.

John graduated from the Air Force Academy, in 1988. He served his active duty in the Air Force, taught at the Academy, then became a UCLA professor and PhD. He is also a well-known teacher and consultant, and has written several books, (Real Influence: Persuade Without Pushing and Gain without Giving, Who Wins Conflict?, Which Bird Gets Heard?, Invisible Bridges, and Don’t Kill the Bosses.) If you'd like to see something cool, check out his website at motivationsrules.com.

Happy Birthday, John, and may you have 71 more healthy ones, by the Aunt Joannie Sullivan law of Longevity Aspiration of 2008.

God bless us and save us and keep us from harm.

Love, Patty & Seamus the Older

Happy Birthday, Gary!

Dear Hearts,

June 23rd is the birthday of Gary Lee Merwin: husband of Mary Fran; father of Joe, Kate, Luke and Maggie; grandfather (GaGa) of Ava, Henry, Elianah, Francesca and Inez; son of Dick and Dorothy; brother, uncle and friend to many, many more.

Professionally, Gary is the owner of Merwin Oil Company, the provider of heating and cooling services, as well as oil and propane delivery to homes, businesses and farms in the Fond du Lac area. Merwin Oil has been operating for 79 years!

Gary came into our family to the delight of everyone. Mary Claire and Big Sully loved and respected him, and MF's siblings loved when he visited. One of Gary's memories of the early days in the Sullivan house was always being offered a cup of coffee by my mom. It seems instant coffee was a new product and Mary Claire loved that she could make just one or two cups for she and visitor so easily!

Gary's devotion to Mary Fran was beautiful, especially in her last few years as he cared for her with hope and love, providing every comfort he could. And we are all grateful for this.

Happy birthday, Gary, and may you have 52 more healthy ones, by the Aunt Joannie Sullivan Law of Longevity Aspiration of 2008.

God bless us and save us and keep us from harm.

Love, Patty

Happy Birthday, Carmen!

Dear Hearts,

June 19th is the birthday of Maria Carmen Sullivan: daughter of Amos and Sara; sister of Roman and Marcos; granddaughter of Jim, Nancy, Bitsy, Encarna and Antonio; niece, cousin and friend to scores more.

Carmen is a happy strong-willed tiny babe. She isn't afraid of anything. She loves dancing, jumping, and reading. She and her brothers have a beautiful and strong love-hate sibling relationship and Amos and Sara are grateful for it and wouldn't have it any other way.

Happy Birthday, Carmenita, and may you have 123 more healthy ones, by the Aunt Joannie Sullivan Law of Longevity Aspiration of 2008.

God bless us and save us and keep us from harm.

Love, Patty

Happy Birthday, Amos!

Dear Hearts,

June 15th is the birthday of Amos Wiley Sullivan; son of Jim and Nancy; brother of Jim III, Mick, Miles and Franny; husband of Sara; father of Marcos, Roman and Carmen; cousin, uncle, nephew and friend of scores more people. When he was born, he came out arms up like a victorious boxer and roared at the room like a baby lion. Amos the Lion.

Professionally, Amos has worked his way up through the ranks at Hammond Machine Works, his grandfather's machine shop now owned by his Uncle Pete Nau. Amos has become an invaluable resource as a Project Manager and Salesman for the company.

He is a quiet man, certainly not one to espouse his own accomplishments, which are many. Just consider the diversity of his educational pursuits: Amos earned bachelor degrees in Chemistry and Psychology, as well as a graduate degree in Industrial Technology and Operations. I'm certain he can fill the boots of two or three positions at one company!

And when he heads home, he is happy to be with his wife and three little ones, reading, making music, snuggling or running around their big beautiful back yard that he so beautifully maintains. He is a gifted athlete and loved playing baseball, hockey and swimming as a kid.

Amos works an Etch-A-Sketch with
 his Great Grandpa, Boompa.

Happy Birthday, Amos Wiley, and may you have 83 more healthy ones, by the Aunt Joannie Sullivan Law of Longevity Aspiration of 2008.

God bless us and save us and keep us from harm.

Love, Patty

Happy Birthday, Shelly!

Dear Hearts,

June 15th is the birthday of Shelly Makus Sullivan: daughter of Don and Judy; sister of Joel and Dennis; wife of Mike; mother of Jake, Seamus, Mia, Augustine, Sofia, Nelly and Max; sister-in-law, cousin, aunt and friend to many, many more.

Shelly grew up in Booneville, Arkansas, and if you listen carefully you can still pick up a little bit of a lovely accent. It's easy to see how she caught Mike's eye at the University of Dallas--Shelly is beautiful inside and out. To watch her care for and love her children and husband is an inspiration. Nothing rattles her and family life is truly her calling. In the past few years she and Mike sent their oldest off to college and welcomed their youngest, little Max, into the world--a similar timeline to my brother Jim and I!

So, happy Birthday, Shelly, and may you have 80 more healthy ones, by the Aunt Joannie Sullivan Law of Longevity Aspiration of 2008.

God bless us and save us and keep us from harm.

Love, Patty

Happy Birthday, Jerry!

Dear Hearts,

June 15th is the birthday of Jeremy Lawrence Sullivan: fifth son of Big Sully and Mary Claire; brother of Jim, Mary Fran, John, Mike, Matt, Anne, Margy and Patty; nephew, uncle, cousin and friend to scores more folks. He is called Jerry, J-Bug, G, Jez. Big Sully named him Blackie.

Professionally, Jerry is a journalist--one of the few such professionals I trust to provide readers with the truth on every story he researches and writes.

Two years ago, Jerry broke off on his own to create SullivanSaysSoCal.com, an objective and thorough news source for the Los Angeles and Orange County areas. This blog was born out of his weekly column (Sullivan Says) as editor of first the Orange County Business Journal, then the Los Angeles Business Journal. Today he is back on the street, much like the days when he opened his newspaper, the Los Angeles Garment & Citizen, working as an honest-to-God reporter--finding sources, asking questions, persevering in finding the truth and presenting it to his subscribers in clear and unbiased stories. Today, he is well known on the streets of LA and well respected by many.

Personally, Jerry is one of the people on earth with whom I have laughed the hardest. Sometimes as kids, for no apparent reason at all, we would begin to giggle and end in a roaring, gut-busting fit. He was the king of scaring the crap out of unsuspecting siblings, and always willing to play a game of cut-throat anything (from backyard volleyball to Monopoly). He is also a loving, funny, smart, considerate, compassionate and creative man who dresses to the nines.

Happy Birthday, J-Bug, and may you have 66 more healthy ones according to the Aunt Joannie Sullivan Law of Longevity Aspiration of 2008.

God bless us and save us and keep us from harm.

Love, P-Bug

Old Glory & the U.S. Army

Dear Hearts,

June 14th is the 243rd anniversary of the United States Flag and the 245th birthday of our much-loved United States Army.

Old Glory

The resolution adopted by the Continental Congress on June 14, 1777 following the report of a special committee which had been assigned to suggest the flag’s design states:

"That the flag of the United States shall be of thirteen stripes of alternate red and white, with a union of thirteen stars of white in a blue field, representing the new constellation."
The Star Spangled Banner that flew over Fort McHenry and inspired Francis Scott Key's song is on display at the Museum of American History in Washington D.C. and is impressive to see in real life. Click here for details of that flag.

U.S. Army

The U.S. Army’s honorable lineage dates back to June 14, 1775. Today, 245 years later, we observe our Army’s values and patriotism, our legacy of service and making a difference in our communities, and the sacrifices we have made. We encourage all members of the Army family to participate in the virtual events that are taking place to pay tribute to America and commemorate the 245th anniversary of the U. S. Army’s establishment. Please join us live on Facebook June 14, 2020, at 7 p.m. for, “The Army at 245: A Tribute to America.”--www.history.army.mil

Click here for more information about the origins of the U.S. Army.

God bless us and save us and keep us from harm.

Love, Patty

Happy Birthday, Ella!

Dear Hearts,

June 14th is the birthday of Darlene Ella Sullivan Herrington: daughter of Bob and Darlene; sister of John, Jim, Bobby, Paul, Tim, Mike, Sr. Mary, Margaret and Peter; wife of Phillip; mother of Dee Dee, Joseph, John, Ruth, James, Ann, Agnes and Rose; sister-in-law, cousin and friend of so many more.

Ella lightens up every room she enters with her contagious smile. And her heart shines even brighter as it is open for all--especially those in need...of some cheering, some food, some comfort, some affection or some consideration. Most parents of eight children would not be able to extend themselves beyond their immediate family, but Ella does just that everyday.

Her faith is truly an inspiration and she and Phillip are raising good and beautiful little people.

Happy Birthday, Ella, and may you have 84 more healthy ones, by the Aunt Joannie Sullivan Longevity Aspiration Law of 2008.

God bless us and save us and keep us from harm.

Love, Patty

Happy Birthday, Matthew!

Dear Hearts,

June 12th is the birthday of Matthew Keith Sullivan: son of Peter and Melody; brother of Annemarie, John, Ben, Mikey and Bo; nephew, cousin, teammate and friends to a whole bunchy of lucky folks.

Matthew just completed his elementary school career last month and is headed to middle school. He shows an impressive mix of talents that have been displayed on the basketball court, the live musical stage, and the backyard patio for a date with his mom. He is a very good brother and looks an awful like his dad.

Happy birthday Matthew, and may you have 114 more healthy ones, by the Aunt Joannie Sullivan Law of Longevity Aspiration of 2008.

God bless us and save us and keep us from harm.

Love, Patty

Happy Birthday, Nicole!

Dear Hearts,

June 11th is the birthday of Nicole Pruitt Sullivan: daughter of Ron and Celia; wife of Bobby; mother of Jeremiah, Ella, Thomas and Patrick; sister, auntie, cousin and friend to many more. Nicole must also be related to Peter Pan, because she doesn't appear to have aged in a few decades!

She is a beautiful example of strength and kindness--her face usually holding a lovely smile, her arms often open for an embrace, her thoughts focused on others', and her words bringing good feelings to those with whom she speaks. And if you have time, Nicole will talk as long as you want, which I completely love about her! While she has been dwarfed physically by all her children, they are all still her babies and she their mama bear.

She has worked as a staff member at St. Gregory's Catholic School in Phoenix, where her children and nieces and nephews were and are educated, for many years. The coming year will bring changes to Nicole's home life as her baby, Patrick, navigates his way into college.

Happy birthday, Nicole, and may you have 76 more healthy ones, by the Aunt Joannie Sullivan Law of Longevity Aspiration of 2008.

God bless us and save us and keep us from harm.

Love, Patty

God Bless Lawrence

Dear Hearts,

June 10th is the anniversary of the birth of Lawrence Kermit White, Sr.--Larry/Whitey's father. His nickname was Red. Jim offers this:

He was born in 1912 in Tennessee on a farm. His father was a minister. He graduated from West Point in 1933, married his lifelong spouse, "Sweetie" Flint. They had three children, and the one we know is Whitey. Whitey is prouder of nothing more in this world, except his family, than of the fact that he carries the name Lawrence Kermit White, Jr., after one of the acknowledged greatest infantry colonels we have ever had in our Army. 

These Whites are decorated officers: Red holds the Distinguished Service Cross and Silver Star, Whitey holds 3 Legions of Merit and the Bronze Star.

When Red was about 32, he was a full colonel and the youngest regimental commander in the US Army. His regiment was held up by Japanese tanks, and Red went up front and right into the teeth of the Japanese tank battalion. He got his unit moving- he led from the very front- he went first-"Follow Me!" He got hit, almost mortally, and never had full use of his leg again, and never spent a pain-free day again, and he lived until 5 April, 2006.

Father Elmer Heindl, (not sure of the spelling) a Catholic chaplain, crawled up and put a tourniquet on Red, under fire. The unit accomplished the mission, won the battle, and that was Red's last day in his beloved Army. He and Father Heindel were both put in for the Medal of honor, but awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, for extraordinary and intrepid gallantry.

Then, the US wouldn't let Red go, and he spent the next 25 years as #2 man (the one who stayed put when the politically appointed #1 was switched) at the CIA. He transitioned the old OSS under Donovan into the modern day CIA- and he is in that organization's Hall of Fame.

He was beloved by every single person who ever served under him, and revered by his peers, and respected at the very least by his few seniors.

He was very good to me, the few times I was privileged to meet him. I know this- Whitey is what and who he is, because of many things, but one of the strongest is his fierce love and loyalty for his father, and his determination to emulate "The Old Man."

And I'm proud to report that Whitey is just like his Dad- even looks exactly like him. Red is gone now, and is never to be forgotten. Thank you for everything, Col. White.

God bless us and save us and keep us from harm.

Love, Jim & Patty

Happy Birthday, Bo!

Dear Hearts,

June 10th is the birthday of Robert Peter Sullivan: son of Peter and Melody; brother of Annie, John, Matthew, Ben and Mikey; nephew, cousin and friend to many more lucky folks. He's named after his grandpa and his dad, but we all call him Bo.

As the youngest of six, Bo's days are filled with lots of activity. He is like a real-life doll to his siblings, and seems happy to play the part. Recently, he served in a family member's wedding as a ring-bearer and escorted two little beauties down the aisle! Already the experienced gentleman at the age of 3.

Happy birthday, Bo, and may you have 122 more healthy ones, by the Aunt Joannie Sullivan Law of Longevity Aspiration of 2008.

God bless us and save us and keep us from harm.

Love, Patty

Happy Birthday, James!

James (bottom) with brothers Joseph and John.

Dear Hearts,

June 10th is the birthday of James Robert Herrington: son of Ella and Phillip; brother of Dee Dee, Joseph, John, Ruth, Ann, Agnes and Rose; cousin, classmate and friend to dozens more. James was a tie-breaker at his birth since he was born with two brothers and two sisters!

In photos, James strikes me as a bit of a jokester, often making bold and hilarious faces. He is a terrific mix of his parents, physically, and I'm certain he's inherited the intelligence, compassion and humor of both the Sullivans and Herringtons as well.

Happy birthday, James, and may you have 117 more healthy ones, by the Aunt Joannie Sullivan Law of Longevity Aspiration of 2008.

God bless us and save us and keep us from harm.

Love, Patty

Happy Birthday, Sofia!

Dear Hearts,

June 10th is the birthday of Sofia Marie Sullivan: daughter of Mike and Shelly; sister to Jake, Seamus, Mia, Gus, Nelly and Max; niece, cousin, classmate and friend to scores more lucky people. Sofie is a pleasure to be with--happy and kind.

Sophie is a bit like a mini Mia as she looks very much like her older sister. She is her own girl, though--thoughtful and curious and always paying attention. Her smile is contagious! I realize she probably has her moments of unhappiness like we all do, but I've never seen it--in person or pictures.

Happy birthday, Sofie, and may you have 115 more healthy ones, by the Aunt Joannie Sullivan Law of Longevity Aspiration of 2008.

God bless us and save us and keep us from harm.

Love, Patty

Happy Birthday, Gracie!

Dear Hearts,

June 7th is the birthday of Grace Vaucher Huffman: daughter of Kate and Ryan; sister of Caroline and June; granddaughter of Mike and Joan Sullivan and Mike and Susan Huffman; niece, cousin and friend to a whole bunch of lucky people. During Covid-19 quarantine, Gracie has become the family hair stylist!

She is graced with amazing athletic ability and can be seen cruising regularly with confidence down the road on her scooter. She loves her two sisters fiercely and can make them laugh better than anyone. She is always on the go until a baby makes the scene--then she is still and caring and curious. Anyone is lucky to be able to spend some time with her.

Happy birthday Gracie, and may you have 121 more healthy ones, by the Aunt Joannie Sullivan Law of Longevity Aspiration of 2008.

God bless us and save us and keep us from harm.

Love, Patty

Happy Birthday, Jim!

Dear Hearts,

June 7th is the birthday of James Patrick Sullivan, Jr.: son of Jim and Mary Claire; brother of Mary Fran, John, Mike, Matt, Anne, Jerry, Margaret and Patty; father of Jim III, Mickey, Miles, Amos and Franny; husband of Bitsy; grandfather to Oscar, Beatrice, Lucille, Maeve, James, Silas, Roman, Marcos and Carmen, as well as those on Bitsy's side; uncle, cousin, nephew, classmate and friend to hundreds more. He's also known as Papa Sully, Seamus the Older and Sully. He is proud to share this day in history with those who fought on the shores of France on D-Day in 1944.

Jim is one of the most impressive people I know. To look at just some of his accomplishments in resume form is remarkable: 

• Bachelor of Science, U.S. Military Academy at West Point
• Master's Degree, Business from Webster University
• Doctorate of Education, Organizational Leadership from Argosy University, Chicago
• Leader of the National Conference on Ethics in America Committee (West Point Class of 1970)
• Career Army veteran
• Independent Professional Training & Coaching Professional
• Author

And we all know that's only a fraction of Jim's talents. All these accomplishments are joined with intangible characteristics that make him a true force of goodness. For instance, I'd say relating to people is his wheelhouse, and we all know what that looks and feels like, right?

Scooping up tiny humans and snuggling or playing with them; asking the important questions to someone who's trying to figure things out; checking in, touching base, reading the room; listening patiently and truly considering what's been said; telling very good jokes; leading our family and keeping us in touch; remaining the most loyal person I know; practicing and growing in his faith every day; providing a wonderful example of servant-leader to the world; and so much more.

Like a few of our ancestors he has so eloquently described in the past, Jim is larger than life. We all know him, we all love him, and our lives are richer because of him.

So, happy birthday Papa Sully, and may you have 53 more healthy ones, by the Aunt Joannie Sullivan Law of Longevity Aspiration of 2008.

God bless us and save us and keep us from harm.

Love, Pattissima

Happy Birthday, Kerry!

Dear Hearts,

June 3 is the birthday of Jim's classmate/brother and dear friend, Kerry Lawrence: husband of Kat, our Sheehan cousin, and the author of the West Point Class of 1970 Constitution. He is that class's James Madison, a highly respected attorney and a man his classmates all turn to for sound counsel and a clear head and a level, brave take on life.

Kerry is a construction attorney in the Seattle area but more than that--he is an experienced mediator, arbitrator and dispute resolution expert. He, like Jim, is a faithful friend and classmate who keeps in touch with his West Point alumni. He and Kat cherish their family and are proud grandparents too!

Happy Birthday, Kerry, and may you have 53 more healthy ones, by the Aunt Joannie Sullivan Law of Longevity Aspiration of 2008.

God bless us and save us and keep us from harm.

Love, Patty

Happy Birthday, Randy!

Dear Hearts,

June 3 is the birthday of Randy Flores: son of Kim and Big Randy; brother of Corey and Katie; husband of Lizzy; father of Levi, Amos and Maggie; son-in-law to Margaret and Brian; nephew, cousin and friend to many, many more. Randy is one of the nicest guys I know.

Professionally, Randy has moved careers from a professional technician installing security and surveillance systems, to a field technician for the Siemens, the huge international company that provides services in power generation, transmission and distribution to communities throughout the world. Randy is out in the field in So. Cal. everyday and his schedule has not been reduced by Covid-19 restrictions. If anything, it's ramped up. Recent unrest may change his work since we have municipal and county curfews due to rioting, and property damage that may involve Siemens customers.

Between those careers, he also worked in carpentry and construction. He and Brian took what I'm certain was the saddest, smelliest house (occupied by a person with a serious hoarding issues) in Mt. Baldy and turned it into a beautiful home. His talents are apparent inside and outside the home he and Lizzy have created--gorgeous raised bed garden, outdoor living area, sturdy wood shed, drywall, flooring, etc.

And when he leaves the homestead, he usually has one or two boys in tow. Maggie will join him in future adventures when she's older, but for now Levi and Amos enjoy some really cool excursions thanks to Randy: hunting, fishing, surfing, hiking, cutting trail, and I'm sure motorcycles and offroad stuff will come eventually!

Happy Birthday, Randy, and may you have 88 more healthy ones, by the Aunt Joannie Sullivan Law of Longevity Aspiration of 2008.

God bless us and save us and keep us from harm.

Love, Patty

Happy Birthday, Seamus!

Dear Hearts,

June 3 is the birthday of Seamus Sullivan, son of Mike and Shelly; brother of Jake, Mia, Gus, Sofie, Nelly and Max; nephew, cousin, teammate and friend to scores more. Seamus is a terrific blend of his mom and dad, both physically and personality wise.

Last weekend I got to visit with Seamus and his family. Mike, Shelly and kids came to So. Cal. to visit Tim, Maureen and their kids. They were kind enough to invite the cousins, so Matt and I met them in Huntington Beach for the afternoon. As I approached them on the beach, I began sorting through who is who and was momentarily confused. Who were these men? And where are the boys? Well, the one who is built like a linebacker and just came out of the water with blood dripping down his chest (surfboard caught him) was Seamus! It was no surprise that he, like all the Arizona kids, stepped right up with a hug, a greeting and a big smile.

He is a junior at St. Mary, playing football and baseball for the Knights. As an outfielder on the Varsity squad, he had quite a game before the Covid-19 shut down: In four plate appearances he logged three hits, two stolen bases, one run and a .750 batting average! On the gridiron, he played Defensive Back, Wide Received and Kicker last fall, pulling in four touchdowns, four tackles and had 404 all-purpose yards. In short, he's a stud. Check out Seamus' touchdown moves here.

There have been eleven men named Seamus in our family since the 1860s: Jeremiah's brother James; Lefty's brother James Patrick; my Dad, James Patrick Sr., (Big Sully); his older brother who only lived one day, James Patrick; myself James Patrick II (Seamus the Older); my son James Patrick III; Bob's James Naime (Seamus the Younger); and Young Seamus himself whose birthday it is. There are two new Seamus's now, Jim's Seamus Benedict. And then there is my new grandson, James Patrick Sullivan IV, son of Miles and Sarah.

Happy Birthday, Seamus, and may you have 108 more healthy ones, by the Aunt Joannie Sullivan Law of Longevity Aspiration of 2008.

Go bless us and save us and keep us from harm.

Love, Patty