Helen Sullivan and cousin Mary Collette Sullivan, c1920s

Mary Collette Sullivan (1914-1997) and Helen Sullivan (1914-2008) were first cousins. Mary Collette was the daughter of Philip M. Sullivan, brother of Alex Sullivan, and Nonie Mahoney. The two of them, because they were the same age, were very close. Often Mary Collette would join Helen and her parents and go to Lakewood, Michigan. They learned to swim there and enjoyed rowing on the lake. Mary Collette enter the Daughters of Charity religious order on July 19, 1946 taking the name Sister Mary Ellen.

Helen M. Sullivan McIntyre 1914-2008

The second child of Al and Nell Sullivan, Helen Mae was born on March 11, 1914 in Chicago, Illinois. She attended St. Thomas Aquinas Grammar School, Chicago and Trinity High School, River Forest, Illinois.  At the age of 23 she married Lawrence F. McIntyre on November 26, 1937 at St. Thomas Aquinas Church.  She lived on the west side of Chicago and as her family grew she moved into the two flat that her parents owned on Latrobe Ave c1949.  Helen and Larry raised two children, Laurence F. and Elaine M.  Once her children were in school, Helen went to work.  She worked at Apollo Savings and Loan on west Madison Street.  Apollo eventually moved to Michigan Avenue and Helen followed.  She then worked for Home Federal Savings on State Street in the mortgage loan department where she learned about condominiums being built on the shores of Lake Michigan.  In 1967, Helen, Larry and their daughter Elaine moved to their condo on Sheridan Road.  Many people keep journals or diaries, Helen recorded her thoughts, dreams, fears and good times in poetry.  A book entitled The First 90 Years;The Poetry of Helen Sullivan McIntyre was completed for her 90th birthday party.  Helen died of acute respiratory failure on September 29, 2008.  See also McIntyre/Sullivan Blog. Photo: High School graduation, 1931.

Thomas A. Sullivan 1908-1996

Thomas A. Sullivan was born July 7, 1908 in Chicago, Illinois, the first child of Al and Nell.  On his birth certificate he is named Aloysius Alexander but on his baptismal certificate from St. Agatha Church in Chicago, July 18, 1908, he is named Thomas Aloysius.  He graduated from St. Mel High School and married Margaret Mary Carmody (February 12, 1910-May 27, 1982) on Christmas Eve, 1929 at St. Mel's Church.  They had one child, Thomas D. Sullivan. After Margaret's death he married twice again: Dorothy Mae Sprafka (1914-1992) on December 23, 1985 and Lorraine Alice Cooper (1913-2007), December 5, 1992.  Tom died while undergoing heart surgery on July 11, 1996 in Venice, Florida.
Tom had a long career with A. O. Smith starting in 1950 and retiring in 1973 as Vice President and Division General Manager.  His undergraduate degree was in mechanical engineering from the Armour Institute, now Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago.  He received a masters degree in economics from Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  See also the Sullivan/Carmody Blog

This is his high school photo c1926.

18 N. Latrobe, Chicago

Al and Nell bought this two flat c1919 and moved in with their son Tom and daughter Helen. They lived on the second floor.  Tom and Helen each married and move out on their own.  Around 1949, Helen moved back with her husband Larry McIntyre and their two children, Larry Jr., and Elaine. They lived on the first floor. Nell died in 1966 and the house was sold in 1967 when Helen and Larry McIntyre moved to Sheridan Road.  It burned down in the late 1970s.

Holidays at the Sullivans on Latrobe Avenue, 1946

Standing left to right: Helen and Larry McIntyre, Al Sullivan with arm around Nanette Madigan Rooney, Ruth Rooney, Larry McIntyre, Jr., Thomas D. Sullivan, Ruth's boyfriend Ray, sitting: Margaret Carmody Sullivan, Burdette Harbison, Christmas Eve,1946

John J. Burke, 1900

Nell Madigan was engaged once before she married Alex Sullivan. Her first fiance was John J. Burke who died c 1905. Her engagement ring was configured with three jade stones. It has been passed down through the family. John was a good looking young man as can be seen in the photo.  The back of the photo reads: "John J. Burke, February 14, 1900."  I have been unable to determine anymore about John Burke as there are a number of individuals in Chicago with the same name and approximate age.

Nell Madigan's engagement ring

The opal engagement ring was given by John J. Burke to Nell Madigan over a hundred years ago.