Iowa man taking neighbor’s tree to his grave

ROBINS, Iowa — Ray Sullivan had an idea after his wife of nearly 50 years died: Build his own coffin from a huge walnut tree. The tree had already been cut down and was curing when his wife, Judy, was buried in 2009 in a casket that was handmade by the Trappist monks of the New Melleray Abbey, near Dubuque. The tree, which was on a neighbor’s land in Robins, started growing about 1930 — the same year Sullivan was born. He finished the 6-foot-long casket last year, The (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) Gazette reported Friday. “The saying is, you can’t take it with you, but I’m going to take it with me,” said Sullivan, who’ll turn 82 on July 31. Sullivan said he shouldn’t need the casket any time soon, and, despite having been diagnosed with high blood pressure and diabetes in recent years, he said he feels good.

— Associated Press

Sullivan was born in Fairmont, Minn., and is a veteran of the Korean War. He received the Distinguished Service Cross for saving his rifle company by blowing up six enemy bunkers and killing 28 enemy soldiers on June 14, 1952, The Gazette said.

The Sullivans moved to Cedar Rapids area in 1964 and raised five children, and relocated to Robins in 1994.

Sullivan used his surplus of land to build a ‘car barn’ for his old cars, and enjoyed the tall, mostly oak, trees on their property.

When his neighbor had the walnut tree removed, Sullivan counted the rings. There were 80.

“This tree is my age,” he said. And, when he’s buried, “we’ll be going together.”