Eddie Sullivan Died This Weekend

My oldest sister called me yesterday and told me our old childhood playmate Eddie Sullivan had died in a hospital in Ellijay, Georgia.

Eddie and his wife apparently moved to Ellijay when they retired and were thinking of moving back to Marietta. He died of pneumonia.

Eddie and his family lived a few doors from us in the Clay Homes Project.

Eddie was 72, according to the on-line obituary I read. I thought he was a few years younger than that. My sister was told by his relative he died Saturday, the on-line obituary said he died Sunday.

Mr. Sullivan had a wood flatbed trailer that he used everyday in his work.. He and his family manned and supplied the concession stands at Larry Bell Park, and they needed that trailer to haul cases of drinks and snacks around. I don’t think they handled Coke products – I seem to remember they had the kind of orange drinks in brown bottles, and maybe RC Cola.

The trailer also served as to haul of picnic supplies to our annual picnic.

On one our annual birthday picnics we went to Sweet water Creek down in southwest Cobb County, or eastern Douglas County. A bridge went over the creek and beside the bridge was a road that went into the wide creek and came out on the other side.

I was about 5 years old. The old dirt road going into the water served as sort of a beach. I waded out in the water and it was fine. I took another step and WHOOSH! I stepped into a drop off and an undercurrent drug me away and under water. I could only see dark water.

Eddie, his older brother Dickie, and Daddy jumped in and pulled me out. Wow. I always felt grateful to Daddy and the Sullivan boys.

In 2006 and 2007 at the Bell Gang Reunion I ran into Eddie and we talked. He seemed the same as he always has been, quiet and very nice. That is where I took the above picture.