Happy Birthday, Jim!

Dear Hearts,

February 29th is the birthday of Jim Clark: husband of Lisa; father of Cerece and Johanna; grandfather of four; son of James Sr. and Joy; brother, cousin and friend to many more.

Professionally, Jim is an experienced salesman in the security industry. Personally, his interests are diverse and rich--sports (a die-hard 49ers fan), cooking, golf, family, travel and enjoying the lovely home he and Lisa have created in Seattle.

Jim inherited much of his talents from his late father who taught Jim how to ride horses, compete in rodeo, work a ranch and cook, among others things. He's also added home improvement guy to his repertoire with a renovated kitchen!

Happy Birthday, Jim, and may you have 62 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, Tim!

Dear Hearts,

February 28th is the birthday of Timothy Aristotle Sullivan: son of Bob and Darlene: brother of John, Jim, Bobby, Paul, Mike, Pete, and Sister John Mary, Margaret and Ella; husband of Maureen; father of Gabriella, Brynn and Andrew; uncle, cousin and friend of scores more.

Tim continues his career with Merck working in the marketing aspect of the company. This has mellowed his business travel quite a bit and allows Tim to work from home. Living a short walk to the beach in Huntington makes this part of the arrangement particularly nice!

Family is and always has been the top focus in Tim's life and he will move mountains and swim seas for those closest to him. And he will do so with amazing energy, a smile on his face and pure love in his heart.

In the past several years, Tim and Maureen befriended an elderly neighbor who is widowed and without the support of family. With nothing but kindness and compassion, Tim went from taking out his neighbor's trash cans to bringing him into their home and overseeing his care. 

The day before my son John's wedding, Tim arrived with the usual smile, hug and happy attitude, then wowed us all with his skills in the kitchen. He chopped, cut and peeled veggies along side Lizzy and Georgia, but kinda scared a few of us when he was cutting up mangoes. No blood was shed, thankfully.

Happy birthday, Tim, 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

Happy Birthday, Lindsay!

Dear Hearts,

February 26th is the birthday of Lindsay Sullivan: daughter of Lee Lipscomb and David and Karen Smoot; wife of Michael; mother of Evangeline and Violet; daughter-in-law of John and Nancy; sister-in-law of Maggie and Matt; auntie of Brandon; teammate and friend to many more.

Lindsay continues her career as an executive of Information Management at Chemtrec, a company that streamlines the process of shipping and transporting hazardous materials. At home, her girls are her pride and joy, and Mike is her accomplice in all things cooking, creating, travelling and exploring.

In her spare time, Lindsay is passionate about disc golf, playing in the Professional Disc Golf Association for eight years. She competes in two divisions: Amateur and Amateur Master Women 40+. The sport is demanding with events held in almost every month of the year. Today, Lindsay has 120 matches under her belt with 62 wins.

So, happy birthday, Lindsay, and may you have 78 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, Nelly!

Dear Hearts,

February 27th is the birthday of Penelope Antoinette Sullivan: the youngest daughter of Mike and Shelly; sister of Jake, Mia, Seamus, Gus, Sophia and Max; granddaughter of Bob and Darlene and Don and Judy; cousin, niece and friend to many more.

Nelly is a beautiful girl with a sweet and mischievous personality. She is and always has been a happy, curious kid who goes with the flow and adds a goodness to everyone's day. 

Happy birthday, sweet Nelly, 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

God Bless John Jeremiah

Dear Hearts,

February 27, 1980 is John Jeremiah's last day. He was 11 years old when he was hit by a car in Phoenix.

On that day, Aunt Darlene and Uncle Bob gathered enough courage for the entire family, miraculously. The man who accidentally struck John never really got over it, and wept in the embrace of Bob and Darlene for many years afterward.

The siblings were struck with a wound of fierce pain. The cousins have tasted it, too. One year, Bob dreamed that his first-born son John was playing on a swing-set. Bob said, "When are you coming home?" John said, "Dad, I am home."

John, who would have been 55, is buried with Uncle Bob and Booma/Mom.

There are 13 John's in the family, 4 of them John Jeremiah's: John Jeremiah I was Lefty; John Jeremiah Jr. was Lefty's son, who only lived a few months; John Jeremiah II was Bob and Darlene's son, who lived 11 years. There is another John Jeremiah, and he starts the numbers over--he is the first, and maybe someday he will be Senior, and he is Pete's and Melody's son.

The other nine John's are John Joseph Whalen, patriarch of the Whalen; John William Sheehan, Boom Boom's father; Big Sully and Mary Claire's son, John Vincent Sullivan; Big Ange and Patty's son John Sullivan Bornhop; Pete and Melody's son, John Naime Herrington; Seamus the Younger and Erin's son, John Robert Sullivan; Mike and Joan's son, John Paul Sullivan; John Davis; and Dr. John Ullmen. We've got a full complement of Johns!

So, please look after us John Jeremiah, with Lefty and Booma/Mom, the Aunties and your Dad Uncle Bob, Big Sully, Mary Claire, Mary Fran, Boom Boom and Boompa, and The Ancestors.

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

Love, Patty

God Bless Antonina

Dear Hearts,

February 26th is the 186th anniversary of the birth of Antonina Grabska: wife of Josef Zinn; mother of Boompa's mom, Wanda, among other children.

She was born in 1837 in the Grand Duchy of Posen, part of ancient Poland, and she died in Chicago on February 28, 1909. Boompa, her grandson, was just 4 years old. So, Antonina was my great-great-grandmother.

Thank you, Grandma Antonina, for Boompa, and for being our Ancestor. Please watch over us all from your place near God.

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

Love, Patty

Happy Boirthday, Nancy!

Dear Hearts,

February 26th is the birthday of Nancy Nau Sullivan: daughter of Pat and Mike; mother of Jim, Mick, Miles, Amos and Franny; sister to Patsy, Janet, Liz, Nick, Felix and Peter; grandma, aunt, cousin and friend to dozens more.

Nancy continues her Blanch Murninghan Mystery Series with the recent publishing of "Mission Improbable: Vietnam." This title will join her previous works that are part of the Blanche Murninghan Mystery Series (Saving Tuna Street and Trouble Down Mexico Way), as well The Boys of Alpha Block and a memoir called The Last Cadillac. Additionally, her short stories have been published in several literary magazines.

Outside Northwest Indiana, Nancy has called a few other places home, including Anna Maria Island, FL, and Mexico--locations that seem to have offered lots of inspiration for her writing.

Happy Birthday, Nancy. May you have 47 more healthy ones by the Aunt Joannie Sullivan Law of Longevity Aspiration of 2008.

Love, Patty

Happy Birthday, Nicholas!

Dear Hearts,

February 19th is the birthday of Nicholas James Whalen: son of Christian and Moira; brother of Sean, Connor and Morgan; grandson of Helen and John; great-grandson of Boom Boom and Boompa; cousin, nephew and friend to many others.

Happy Birthday, Nicholas James, 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, Ella!

Dear Hearts,

February 19th is the birthday of Ella Marie Sullivan Ramsay: daughter of Bobby and Nicole; sister of Jeremiah, Thomas and Patrick; granddaughter of Darlene and Bob and Celia and Don; wife of Charley; mother of Catalina; niece, cousin and friend to scores more.

Ella became a mama in the fall and is clearly in true bliss with that role. She and Charley are smitten with their little Lina and have set up a comfy home in Falls Church, VA. Ella's faith has always been strong and it bolstered her greatly in recent months when little Lina ended up in the hospital with serious respiratory issues. 

When maternity leave is over, Ella returns to work as the program coordinator for the Ethics and Policy Center, a think tank. They are lucky to have this woman whose strong ethics and beautiful writing skills are beyond her years.

Happy Birthday, Ella, and may you have 100 more healthy ones, by the Aunt Joannie Sullivan Law of Longevity Anticipation of 2008.

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

Love, Patty

God Bless Aunt Helen

Dear Hearts,

February 18th is the 95th anniversary of the birth of Helen Louise Catherine Wiley Whalen: wife of John; daughter of Boom Boom and Boompa; sister of Mary Claire; mother of Christian, Teresa, Damian, Lisa and Mercy; aunt to nine of us; grandmother of eight; and friend to so many.

Helen and Mary Claire grew up Back of the Yards on the Southside of Chicago in the house their grandfather built at 704 W. Halsted. I picture these girls living a childhood not too different from the characters in "Our Gang." Helen and Mary Claire took up Irish Dancing and would dance on the radio as kids!

She valued education greatly and, as an adult, embarked on a journey on which she attended Edgewood College in Madison, WI, and earned an Associates of Arts degree. She then received a Bachelor’s of Arts degree from Loyola University in 1949 and continued on to graduate school at Loyola. At this time she also studied music at Rosary College and The American Conservatory of Music in Chicago.

Helen met John at Loyola University in fall, 1948 and the two were married in June of 1950. They lived in Chicago until 1957 before heading to Kotzebue, Alaska; Stevensville, Montana; Red Lodge, Montana; and settled in Missoula where they lived happily ever after.

Helen was a creative woman in so many areas--cooking, sewing, painting, drawing, etc.. And when challenged later in life with cancer, she was a courageous fighter in the face of threatening illnesses. Today she rests alongside Uncle John at St. Mary's cemetery in Missoula.

Watch over us, Aunt Helen, and enjoy eternal life with your beloved and family. God bless us and save us and keep us from harm.

Love, Patty

Happy Birthday, Ruth!

Dear Hearts,

February 18th is the birthday of Ruth Teofila Herrington: daughter of Phillip and Ella; sister of Darlene, Joseph, John, James, Anna, Agnes and Rose; granddaughter of Bob and Darlene and Eddie and Sylvia; niece, cousin and friend to scores of folks.

Ruth is in 7th grade and becoming a beautiful young woman, inside and out. Ruth means "compassion" in Hebrew, and Teofila is the Spanish name for "friend of God," after her Auntie Mary, Sister John Mary Sullivan, O. S. F. Our Ruth is a happy and kind young lady and a wonderful sister. And as you can see in the photo, she has a dazzling smile!

I do hope she continues to make magic in the kitchen--last time I visited in Phoenix, Ruth treated us all to a platter of warm, freshly baked cookies. She is a talented baker who already has the wisdom to know how to modify ingredients if she comes up short on something or has to change things up.

Happy birthday, sweetheart. May you have 112 more healthy ones by the Aunt Joannie Sullivan Law of Longevity Aspiration of 2008.

Love, Patty

Happy Birthday, Paul

Dear Hearts,

February 16th is the birthday of Paul Alejandro Sullivan: son of Bob and Darlene; husband of Stephanie; brother of John, Jim, Bobby, Tim, Mike, Mary, Margaret, Ella and Peter; father of Hannah, Jack, Emma, Liam, Callum and Ewan; cousin, nephew, uncle and friend to scores of others. Pablo Diablo is his nickname for many.

Paul is in his second year as Senior Director of Market Access at Crispr Therapeutics biotech company and I hope he's being compensated appropriately, since he has the training and skills of a lawyer, a salesman, a manager and a corporate director. Indeed he works hard, and plays even harder! Hunting, skiing, swimming--he'll jump into just about any physical endeavor with gusto.

A true family man, Paul and Stephanie are raising strong, intelligent, faithful, hilarious kids in much the same way that Uncle Bob and Aunt Darlene raised theirs. It's clear that God is first and family is the next most important thing in his life. His family is his refuge whether they are at home in Phoenix or on the road in a far-off land. And spending time with their kids is a great way to see the loving work Paul and Stephanie have put into family. 

So, Happy Birthday, Paul, and may you have 75 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, Evangeline!

Dear Hearts,

February 15th is the birthday of Evangeline Smoot Sullivan: daughter of Lindsay and Mike; sister of Violet; granddaughter of John and Nancy and Lee and David; niece of Maggie and Matt; cousin of Brandon; grand niece and little buddy to a bunch more!

With each year, Evan's personality shows a new and fascinating aspect. She has become quite skilled with Lego, recently taking on the building a globe. Evan started her culinary exploration early and appears to be a connoisseur of pizza, among other delicacies. The world of veterinary science, however, may pull her from the kitchen as a vocation.

Whatever she chooses, it's clear that Evan will always be a loving sister, daughter, granddaughter, niece and buddy to her loving family and friends.

Happy birthday, sweet Evangeline, and may you have 116 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, Billy!

Dear Hearts,

February 13th is the birthday of William Harold Lewis: son of Paul and Margaret; brother of Mary Ella, PJ Jr., Bobby and Timmy; nephew, cousin, teammate and friend to a whole bunch more.

Billy has the athletic prowess of both his mom and dad and looks just like them both! How can that be? I spent a few hours on the beach with him a few summers ago and saw a mischievous grin and clever glint in his eyes that told me he is smart as a whip and can hold his own amongst the Phoenix Sullys. At the same time, his kindness and humor shone just as bright.

Happy Birthday, William Harold, and may you have 111 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, Andrew!

Dear Hearts,

The Andrews, from left:
Bornhop Sr., Sullivan and Bornhop Jr.

February 13th is the birthday of Andrew William Sullivan: son of Tim and Maureen; brother of Brynn; cousin of dozens; nephew, friend and teammate to many more!

In his senior year of high school, Andrew is has grown into a fine, intelligent, handsome young man who is cruising through his school lessons at Huntington Beach High School. He has the natural gift of athleticism paired with a very humble heart. He also has the most beautiful head of curly hair!

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

God bless us and save us and keep us from harm

Love, Patty

Happy Birthday, Willis!

Dear Hearts,

February 13th is the birthday of Willis Sullivan Patrick Kimbel: son of Anne Sullivan Daly and Curt Kimbel; stepson of Malachy Daly; brother of Claire; nephew, cousin and friends to many, many more.

In his professional career, Willis has made a name for himself as a skilled skateboarder, but he's so much more than that. His athletic talent extends to so many other disciplines, so much so that he's attracted many big-name sponsors who seek out exposure through Willis' social media. Skate equipment, eyewear, camping gear, outdoor tools, coffee growers and more are wise to send their products to Willis for a test run. If you're on Instagram, join the 40K + followers who love Will's videos and pics. His moniker is @wheelbarrow.

He and his girlfriend Ashley have recently taken on the role of homeowners and landlords, having bought a home in Portland and set up a beautiful cabin as an Air BnB house in Rhododendron, OR. And his fun and faithful dog Piper is a beautiful and smart Border Collie who is still  by his side constantly.

Happy birthday, Willis, and may you have 90 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 Susan

Dear Hearts,

February 12th is the 109th anniversary of the birth of Elizabeth Jane Flint White: mother of Whitey; wife of Colonel Red: daughter of Justin and Sophia Flint. According to Whitey, somewhere along the line she acquired the nickname Susan--so altered her name unofficially--to Elizabeth Jane (Susan) Flint.

From Whitey:

Mom and my sister were evacuated from the Philippines in late 1940. Dad just made it out ahead of war on 5 Sep 1941 only to return to the Pacific a year later in Sep 1942. He fought there with the 129th and 148th Infantry Regiments in Fiji, New Georgia, Vella LaVella, Bougainville and the Philippines until wounded at Irisan near Baguio on 17 April 1945. Dad returned to the States through a series of hospitals and was not well enough to retire until Mar 1947 from Walter Reed Hospital in DC having joined the CIA the previous year.

So Mom had a pretty exciting start to married life moving to Texas, then the Philippines, before returning home without her husband of just three years with a one-year-old daughter to wait for Dad's return first from the Philippines, and then from 3 years of war, followed by two years of recuperation from injuries serious enough to warrant 100% disability.

I arrived in 1947 and my brother followed in 1949, much to the chagrin of our older and very spoiled big sister. But Mom ran a great family and we all loved her a great deal. Our four kids called her Oma Sue; my sister's kids called her Sweetie - which stuck. Mom died 3 April 1999 from congestive heart failure after a bout with dementia in Vero Beach, FL surrounded by her kids and grandkids. She was buried at West Point where Dad joined her 7 years later. Together they rest in peace under the gravestone Jim helped design.

Dad's Memoirs are dedicated to his wife of 61+ years. The inscription reads, "I'd like to dedicate this book to my wife, Sue. Much of what I talk about would never have been possible without her love and support. She died peacefully in her sleep on Saturday, 3 April 1999. I know she has gone straight to heaven."

Thanks for including her in those you honor as family and in our prayers.

Whitey

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

Love, Patty

God Bless Aunt Anna Rita

Dear Hearts,

February 11th is the 100th anniversary of the birth of Anna Rita Sullivan, Order of Preachers: daughter of Lefty and Anna; sister to Jim, Bob and Margaret; Aunt to 19 of us and our spouses; friend to so many. Aunt Anna Rita was a Dominican nun, servant of the poor, epitome of motherhood to literally thousands of little ones, encourager of immigrants, forgiver of fools, one who loved, always and everywhere.

She was born in Chicago and died in Phoenix on August 18, 2006, in the 62nd year of her Religious Profession, surrounded by much of her family. She is buried in the Adrian Dominican Sisters Cemetery alongside Aunt Margaret.

I have such fond memories of the Aunties coming to visit us in Munster. They would drive up in their yellow Plymouth Dart and come up the front walkway with their habits flowing in the breeze. It amazed me how they confounded my dad, Big Sully, by serving refugees in El Salvador who were trying to re-establish life in a new and strange place in the early 1980s. They lived and worked in danger and it drove dad crazy not to be able to protect them.

Aunt Anna Rita, along with Aunt Margaret, served the Catholic community in Danville, Arkansas, working for ten years to build St. Andrew Catholic Church there. She educated me in nutrition when I had gestational diabetes in the 1990s, and counseled me through genetic testing when I was diagnosed with breast cancer the first time in 2004. She was so smart and so caring.

You all know the story of her "meeting the train" when Big Sully came home to Union Station in Chicago, after the fourth telegram saying he would arrive. The first three, over a three year period, all stated that he had been shot down (which he had) and that he was believed to be dead. So no one believed the fourth one.

Except Anna Rita. She met the train. And the 200 pound athlete, now seriously wounded, weighing 130 pounds, jammed down real hard with what we now know was post-traumatic stress, got off the train, hollow-eyed, alone. And there was his sister, willing to have her heart broken again on the chance that he would be there. He (and she) never forgot that, and held it like the precious bond it is, between them forever more.

Happy Birthday in heaven, Auntie. Thanks for your goodness, your example, your kindness and tolerance, and advice, and your endless love.

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

Love, Patty

Happy Birthday, Hannah!

Dear Hearts,

February 7th is the birthday of Hannah Grace Sullivan: daughter of Paul and Stephanie; sister of Jack, Emma, Liam, Callum and Ewan; cousin, niece, friend and teammate to a ton of others.

Hannah continues her studies at the University of Dallas, working toward a Bachelor's Degree in Business and English. Indeed, she is a regular on the Dean's List. Last summer Hannah served as an intern at Banner Health and continues work there assisting patient experience services.

Happy Birthday, Hannah, and may you have 103 more healthy ones, by the Aunt Joannie Sullivan Law of Longevity Anticipation of 2008.

God bless us and save us and keep us from harm

Love, Patty

Happy Birthday, Ewan!

Dear Hearts,

February 5th is the birthday of Ewan Paul Sullivan: son of Stephanie and Paul; brother of Hannah, Jack, Emma, Liam and Callum; nephew, cousin and friend to scores of others. He shares the day with his cousin Rose!

Ewan is one of the happiest children I've met--smiley, curious and easy going. He's also a smart kid who can write quite well. Last November, his teacher held an essay contest for Veteran's Day. Ewan did an impressive job gathering information from various primary sources, interviewed them with thoughtful and pertinent questions, and wrote an essay that told the story of his Grand Uncle Jim i World War II. He painted a picture with words, including facts and interesting details. Ewan's essay was judged first place!

Outside of the classroom, he loves playing piano, going hunting with his dad and brothers, playing baseball and doing just about anything outdoors.

Happy Birthday, Ewan. 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, Rose!

Dear Hearts,

February 5th is the birthday of Rose Marie Herrington: daughter of Ella & Phillip; sister of Darlene, Joseph, John, Ruth, James, Anna and Agnes; cousin and niece of a whole bunch of us.

In her three years of life she has traveled afar while being entertained, cuddled and cared for by her seven siblings and loving parents. Rose has remained as cute as a button and sweet as can be.

So, happy birthday, little Rosie, 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

God Bless Alfred

Dear Hearts,

February 3rd is the 157th anniversary of the birth of Alfred Wlodzimierz Wilkoszewski: son of Romualda and Edward; husband of Wanda; father of Norbert, Alfred Jr., Carl, Eugene, Irwin, Stewart and Blanche. He was called Snaz and lived his whole life in Chicago and was probably the man responsible for changing the family's surname to Wiley. You can see the details on the family record here.

Jim actually knew him and offers these sweet memories:
"It was my job to wake him up with a little bell and walk with him to the dinner table. He would hold my hand and talk a sort of fake language to me, and his white hair stuck straight up in a point like the roof of a cottage.

His wife, Wanda Zinn was the daughter of Josef Zinn and Antonina Grabska. She died in the flu epidemic of 1918. Boompa kissed her goodbye that morning, went to school and when he came home, she was dead and quickly buried in the epidemic graves in the Polish Catholic cemetery on the North Side. He never saw her again, but just before he left us, he sat straight up, opened his arms and said, "Mama, Mama." Then lay down, sighed and slipped peacefully into his mother's arms and the arms of God.

When Wanda died in 1918, Al was left to raise 7 kids. He was multi-talented, played the piano like a maniac, was a bank clerk and a prodigious drinker, and loved to brawl. His 6 sons and 1 daughter all turned out wonderfully, though. He invented a fart machine that he would sit on and embarrass Mary Claire and Helen when their boyfriends came calling. I saw one--it was ingenious, but he never got it patented. Worked excellently. True story."

Please watch over us, beloved ancestors. God bless us and save us and keep us from harm.

Love, Patty & Jim

God Bless Romualda

Dear Hearts,

February 2nd is the 191st anniversary of the birth of Romualda Gorczynska Wilkoszewska, Boompa's grandmother, who was born in Konin, Poland.

She was the daughter of Major Anthony Gorczynski, a Polish officer in Napoleon's army. She and her husband, Edward Zygmunt Wilkoszewski, had many children, some records say 22! Romualda died in Chicago on July 8, 1898 and is buried at the Polish Cemetery at Norwood Park there.

(On a personal note: I would love to see one of our younger generation bring back the name Zygmunt!)

God bless you, Romualda. We pray you are enjoying blissful eternity with our ancestors.

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

Love, Patty

God Bless Jeremiah

Dear Hearts,

February 2nd is the 172nd birthday of our ancient patriarch, Jeremiah Patrick O'Sullivan. He is one of our ancestors who made the trip across the Atlantic from Ireland.

To follow is Jim's beautiful story:

Jeremiah was born during a famine year in 1851, the youngest son of ten, to Timothy and Mary Barry.

In Ireland, people were dropping dead in the fields and the English were evicting them and picking them off. Some British soldiers abused a member of the family. Jeremiah snuck up on the English rent collector and killed him with a hardened cabbage stalk. He then fled to Cobh, down outside of Cork city and then took ship to Nova Scotia, on the run. He went inland for a few years, chased by the authorities, eventually came across at Sault Ste Marie on a raft- an illegal entrant- to the Upper Peninsula and down to Chicago, met Anna Meany from Clare and had six children, four daughters, Margaret, Eileen, Mary and Anna, and two sons, James Patrick and John Jeremiah.

Jeremiah was about 5' 9" tall and broad as a barn, though thin in his youth, stocky later. He lost his leg several years before he died in 1930. He had it buried with military honors, honestly, as a member of the old version Old IRA, the Fenians, in the Irish cemetery on the South Side, Mt. Olivet. The plot document reads, "Section 1, Jeremiah P. Sullivan; section 2, 'leg of.' "

If you ever wanted to make Mary Fran scream laughing, you just had to sidle up to her and say, "Leg Of."

Our cousin, Father Jim McKittrick, sent me some documents that had Jeremiah's name as Jeremiah B. O'Sullivan, but the "O" had never been substantiated as far as I can tell, until two summers when I found Timothy’s grave in Mahoonagh parish, Limerick, and saw that it was “O’Sullivan.”.

Jeremiah got us here, and he lived 79 years and did it pretty hard. Here's to Jeremiah Barry O’Sullivan, born in Mahoonagh parish, townland of Cooley Gorman, County Limerick, Eire, on 2 February, 1851, and died in Chicago of complications due to the amputation of his second leg on 6 November, 1930.

They say he was wild when he drank, that he was mean and rough. But he got us here, and he stuck up for his family. And he's my great-grandfather.

Rest in Peace, Jeremiah. Thank you for bringing us to America. God bless us and save us and keep us from harm.

Love, Jim & Patty

Happy Birthday, Peter!

Dear Hearts,

February 1st is the birthday of Peter Michael Sullivan: son of Seamus the Younger and Erin; brother of John, Annie, Kathleen, Thomas, Maggie, Joe, Brigid, Seamus and Patrick; nephew, cousin and friend to dozens of others.

Peter is an amazing force in the world of athletics. Last February, he completed his high school hockey career as captain of that team. In July, he finished a four-year run in baseball as a vital member of the State Championship team. And he managed to play on the football team and bowling team as well! 

In the fall he set off on his college journey at Christendom, playing defense on the soccer team and serving as manager of the baseball team. I'm confident Peter will also show us his talents are not confined to athletics.

As the third oldest boy of the ten Omaha Sullys, he stays close to family and even has a few sisters nearby in Virginia.

Happy Birthday Peter, and may you have 105 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