5 Generations of Sullivans Celebrate Matriarch’s 91st Birthday

OAK LAWN, IL — Four generations of the Sullivan family honored the family's matriarch with a birthday car parade down Grant Street in Oak Lawn. Mary Sullivan, who turned 91 on Sunday, beamed at her family filling her front lawn on Sunday afternoon, while the fifth generation of her family took a nap.

Mary is the mother of nine children, 27 grandchildren, 34 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren — and they all love her. Usually, the family celebrates Mary's birthday with a cake, but for obvious reasons, they settled for a social distancing car parade instead.

"It's so nice of everyone to come," Mary said. "God love you."

They kissed Mary through the glass storm door and set out presents and flowers on her front step. Her family says Mary never forgets a birthday or anniversary, and at one point she was handing a bag of greeting cards out her window to be distributed to her vast family.

"She's the best mother-in-law, grandma, great-great-grandma and great-great-grandma ever," her daughter-in-law said. "She loves everybody."

So here's wishing Mary Sullivan a happy 91st birthday, and to a better gathering in 2021, although a car parade is pretty cool.

~ Video by Lorraine Swanson | Patch