Pinellas Park, Florida
Congratulations Irene!
Irene's Bio:
Judge Irene Sullivan presides in the Unified Family Court, handling delinquency and dependency cases, and related family matters involving those children in her cases. Judge Sullivan also presides over the truancy court in Pinellas County, Florida. Her former assignment was in Family Law and Domestic Violence. Before becoming a judge she was a partner at Harris, Barrett, Mann and Dew in St. Petersburg, with a general civil litigation practice.
Judge Sullivan presently serves on the boards of the Juvenile Welfare Board, PACE, The Ounce of Prevention Fund of Florida and the Upper Pinellas Association for Retarded Citizens. She is a member of steering committees created by the Florida Supreme Court and the Conference of Circuit Judges to address issues of children, families and the education of Florida judges. She has a strong personal commitment to truancy prevention and serves as a board member and secretary of the National Truancy Prevention Association.
Judge Sullivan received her Juris Doctor degree from Stetson University College of Law, cum laude, in 1977, and an undergraduate degree in journalism from Northwestern University in 1964. In addition to working with children in the courts, which is her passion, she enjoys outdoor sports, travel, reading, cooking and, most of all, her three children, five grandchildren, ninety-year-old mother and golden retrievers, Holly and Patsy.
Save the Last Dance For Me
The drive from the airport took them past Arbor Heights High School. Callie asked the limo driver to slow down. She rolled down her window and gulped in years of memories: her best friend, Rose; the cheerleading squad; honors English; the senior prom and, most of all, her dance instructor, Eduardo. How lucky she had been. Friends gathered around them at every school dance to watch them tango, cha cha, jitterbug and swing! New York hadn't panned out, but she never forgot those lessons.
Calli straightened her lime green pantsuit and freshened her lipstick. Her fingers trembled, understandably. She was only minutes away from the wedding and she hadn't seen Rose, the bride, in many years, nor recognized her voice on the phone. “Callie,” Rose had pleaded. “I know we've lost touch but weddings are for old friends. Eddie and I want you to come.”
The limo pulled up to the curb and Callie smiled at the sight of green and white flower baskets lining the steps to the verandah. Wedding guests rocked in their chairs to a pleasant Mozart. She got out of the car and thought she recognized two people. Yes, that was Buddy, their senior class president, and next to him Valerie, editor of their yearbook.
Callie walked up the steps waving to them. She heard Rose shriek as she rolled her wheelchair onto the porch, square under the sign for Arbor Heights Independent Living Facility. “Callie dear,” Rose cried, looking radiant in her pink silk suit. “We're so glad you came.”
Callie leaned down to hug her friend. Rose wrapped her arms around her. Callie sniffed. “You're still a Rose, wearing Jungle Gardenia cologne.” Callie softly stroked her friend's cheek.
“You always did kid me about that, Callie.” Rose took her hand. “It's time to meet the groom.”
Rose turned her wheelchair to face the parlor as a tall, white-haired man in a light blue jacket came towards them, adjusting his boutonniere. Callie's mind exploded into song: “Mac the Knife,” “ Tennessee Waltz,” “Que Sera, Sera,” “ Mr. Sandman,” “You Belong to Me.” She looked into the dark brown eyes of Eduardo.
“He's Eddie now, Callie. He's been here five years. He's had a stroke that affects his speech and memory, but he can still dance up a storm and he's so sweet to me.”
Callie took his hand in hers. “It's so good to see you Eddie…Eduardo.” He smiled broadly.
“Valerie and Buddy are going to stand up for us. My friends here can cut the cake and pass out the champagne. You'd make me so happy if you and Eddie would do the first dance for the bride and groom — just do it in place of me, Callie.” Rose slapped her wheel chair.
Callie reached for Eddie as friends surrounded them. Someone put on “Save the Last Dance for Me.” Eddie…Eduardo held her tight and spun her around, circling Rose, who was laughing and crying in her wheelchair.
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