Friday, 09 October 2009 00:36

Widow Struggles After Husband's Death

slide1-widow_struggles_after_husbands_death.pngFiddletown - Krista Clem O’Sullivan, whose husband was allegedly shot dead after a dispute with his neighbor, now faces the prospect of eviction from her Fiddletown ranch. Clem O’Sullivan told TSPN she can’t afford the mortgage and is facing mounting debt after her husband John O’Sullivan, 47, was allegedly shot multiple times by former neighbor Kenneth John Zimmerman, 56, in August. Zimmerman was subsequently arrested and booked in the Amador County Jail on one count of murder. Clem O’Sullivan is struggling to make payments on properties the couple owned and managed together in Drytown and Shelter Cove. She said she is trying to work a business deal to turn the latter into a “retreat home.” She said the bank was working with her husband to schedule a payment plan but has not worked with her since his death, and recently issued a 60-day notice saying she must vacate the property. “The only hope I have right now is to sell off our possessions,” she said. Any attempts to raise capital are doubly hard because Clem O’Sullivan is also the full-time caretaker for their four children, ages 2 through 14. She said she received a low offer on her Chevy truck. She said the tractor her husband was riding around the time of his death was taken for evidence and “you need a tractor if you live on a ranch.” The Church of the Nazarene has offered some assistance in helping her move. John O'Sullivan, a citizen of Ireland, was an Amador County housing developer, and most recently worked with Clem O’Sullivan on the Golden Vale housing development. The couple were frequent attendees at meetings related to property development. Clem O’Sullivan called her late husband a “popular, ultra-generous man of his word, full of integrity and heart.” At a wake at his parent’s home in Ireland, there was reported to be a 6-hour procession to view his casket made up of friends and family from both Ireland and California. “I’m completely overwhelmed,” said Clem O’Sullivan. “I just can’t take it all on at once.” Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.