Fire had engulfed the home in the 1300 block of Roundhill. After knocking the aggressive fire down, firefighters found Sullivan inside, Hanover Twp. Deputy Fire Chief Fred Fritz Stitzinger reported.
Multiple fire departments responded with mutual aid. Jessie’s son, Greg, who is the Hanover Twp. fiscal officer, said he is grateful for everything the firefighters did to try to save her.
“They were just super in their efforts and they were very compassionate at the scene,” Greg Sullivan said. “They were trying to save her.”
The cause of the fire is under investigation by the State Fire Marshal’s Office, but Stitzinger said it is not suspicious and likely electrical in origin.
Jessie Sullivan served as the Reily School District clerk/treasurer early in her career, and when that district consolidated with the Talawanda School District, she served in the same position there.
In 1978, Sullivan was recruited by the late Butler County Auditor James Tilton to work in his office. She retired from the county auditor’s office in 1992 as director of finance.
Greg Sullivan said his mother was a very kind and loving person, ”but she was pretty tough, too.”
She enjoyed working with other elected officials at budget time, especially the late county Prosecutor John Holcomb, who was also known for his tough personality.
“She enjoyed working with him even though he was a tough guy. She would laugh and say they were always able to come to a compromise,” Greg Sullivan said.
Jessie Sullivan and her husband, Ted, traveled during their retirement years and spent winters in Hilton Head, S.C.
“They had lots of friends there and really enjoyed their time there, “ he said.
Jessie Sullivan was preceded in death by her husband. They were married 60 years.
“Even though she had a career, she was also a loving mother, grandmother and great grandmother and very family-oriented,” Greg Sullivan said. “She is so missed.
About the Author
