[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 10]
[Senate]
[Page 14731]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       REMEMBERING GENE SULLIVAN

  Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. President, today I wish to recognize the 
life and legacy of Arkansan Gene Sullivan. Gene will forever be 
remembered as the great optimist with the can-do attitude and endless 
determination. There was no project too small and, certainly, no 
project too large that he wouldn't tackle with his trademark tenacity. 
Gene led a life dedicated to the outdoors and was a man of great faith.
  While there are many remarkable stories that we remember about Gene, 
I want to share a personal letter that he sent to his grandchildren on 
his 81st birthday. On February 8, 2017, Gene wrote the following:

       As I sit in my easy chair in the early morning of my 81st 
     birthday, I give thanks to the Lord for how He has blessed me 
     throughout my life with love and mercy rather than justice. I 
     want to share with you some things I know to be true and pray 
     that you will consider them in your short journey through 
     this life on earth.
       (1) God's judgement of how you live your life is the only 
     one that is really important. (2) The Bible provides God's 
     directions for having a successful life. Read it and live it. 
     (3) When you are older and look back, you will not regret any 
     time you spent with family, serving the Lord and loving and 
     serving others.
       I love you and you are one of the blessings of my life.

  He also included two Scriptures for them to read and contemplate.
  Deuteronomy 11:1: ``Therefore you shall love the LORD your God, and 
always keep His charge, His statutes, His precepts, and His 
commandments [it is your obligation to Him].''
  1 John 4:20: ``Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or 
sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, 
whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.''
  As we mourn the loss of this Arkansas leader, I think it would serve 
us all well to reflect upon the timeless wisdom that he passed along to 
his grandchildren on his 81st birthday.

                          ____________________