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.
Our brother Mike offers this:
"Today (June 6) marks a heroic day in our country's history. For on this day, American citizen/ soldiers landed in Normandy upon incredible assault from the Nazis. Within 8 months, those soldiers, airmen from the Army Air Corps, the Army Airborne, and all others from staff to resistance, laid waste to the bad boys. They came, they saw, and they conquered. Big Jim Sullivan (our dad) ran a mission over Omaha beach that day.
Three years later, a boy was born on the south side of Chicago. His name was Jim and he belonged to Jim Sullivan from the Army Air Corps who had lay the Nazi's to waste 3 years earlier. Today is his 76th birthday. He's my big brother, along with 7 others (2 deceased). He is a mensch, a warrior, courageous, always loyal, always there, always my best friend, and always a voice of solace and wisdom. Happy birthday, Jim."
Jim has been the glue that holds people together, whether they are his classmates at West Point or our greater Sullivan/Wiley clan. He is a force of goodness--tender with little children, steadfast in his work, unwavering in his faith and loyal as the day is long. 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 49 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
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