History Buff and Proud Dad
Some
firefighters so crave the thrill of the job that they dread retirement.
Lt. Joseph P. Gullickson was not among them. He treasured the
camaraderie at Ladder Company 101 in Red Hook, Brooklyn, and welcomed
the challenges of the work, ascending to the rank of lieutenant
at age 31 and, until Sept. 11, studying for the captain's test.
But Lieutenant Gullickson, 37, was concerned about his safety,
particularly now that Amanda, almost 4, and Isabel, 20 months,
were in the picture. Lately, he had been increasingly devoted
to the lawn sprinkler company that he and his brother Ralph inherited
from their father. When the company finished a major project at
the American Museum of Natural History last year, Lieutenant Gullickson
was elated. At home in Staten Island, he would nestle into the
blue satin Daddy Chair with the gold polka dots, cuddling with
the girls and devouring American history books. After dinner,
the lieutenant and his wife, Naoemi, who shared his love of "The
Honeymooners" and Barry White and had caught his fever for Frank
Sinatra, would seat the girls in strollers and amble through the
neighborhood. Profile published in THE NEW YORK TIMES on April
21, 2002.
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