While I have yet to get my hands on an actual obituary for
Harry A. Sullivan—my husband’s newly-confirmed second cousin, twice removed—I was
able to find a news article reporting his 1950 death. Because it was printed in
a Greeley, Colorado, newspaper instead of a Denver paper, it’s my guess this Kelly descendant was still hard at work around the state, fulfilling what he considered to
be his life’s mission. Harry Sullivan seemed to be a tireless advocate for Colorado’s veterans.
Harry's passing was commemorated by a statement from the
governor, and the flying of flags at half-mast at capitol offices. Considering
that, there will surely be other state newspapers to find that carried an
announcement similar to the front page insertion I found in The Greeley Daily Tribune on the day of
Harry’s September ninth passing.
Denver, Sept. 9.—Harry A. Sullivan, 55, chairman of the state board of veterans affairs, died early several hours after becoming ill at an American Legion meeting.Gov. Johnson said Colorado has lost a “great citizen” and ordered flags flown at half staff at the statehouse.Sullivan was a veteran of the first World War and was one of the organizers of the Legion in Colorado. He served in France with the 157th infantry and was an acting captain at the war’s end.
Flying the flag at half-staff is quite the honor. This shows the importance of his position as well as the respect he had earned over a lifetime of service.
ReplyDeleteWendy, I certainly was touched to read that--and it happened over half a century ago!
DeleteI salute Harry A. Sullivan.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Sullivan&GSiman=1&GSsr=41&GScid=57441&GRid=133809669&
DeleteAsk and you shall receive... Thank VDR.
Iggy, thank you so much for thinking of doing that! I'm amazed at how quickly VDR turned that request around. Ask and you shall receive--as it turns out, instantly!
DeleteAnd yes, I certainly made sure to thank VDR for those photographs and for entering their memorials. They are now there for all the world to find, thanks to your idea!
Jacqi, that's a wonderful tribute to Harry; the flags at half mast. Good luck finding more records of his life & death.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Colleen! I'll certainly be putting Harry and his family on my research list for my next trip to Colorado! He's turned out to be quite a remarkable guy.
DeleteWhat a great cousin to find! I hope he had children!! :)
ReplyDeleteThat's exactly what I thought, Far Side! But apparently, he didn't. Still, we're honored to have discovered that he was a cousin, no matter how distant.
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