As he often did, the Willowick man called his fellow firefighters in Willoughby to let them know how his latest cross-country bicycle trip was going, Willoughby Fire Capt. Al Zwegat said at Sufilka's funeral Wednesday.
This time, the country was Australia. Sufilka told Zwegat he had ridden 80 miles the previous day, almost without seeing a building. He was eager to set out and do it again, Zwegat said.
Hundreds of friends, family members and fellow safety officers gathered Wednesday to honor the man who treated life like an adventure.
"Character" was the word that kept coming up in the stories about Sufilka.
"A person's character is what makes a shift a shift and a fire department a brotherhood," Zwegat said, his voice cracking.
More than 150 police officers and firefighters filled half of Shoregate Methodist Church in Willowick to honor Sufilka.
Sufilka, 48, was a career firefighter and paramedic in Willoughby. He also worked as a part-time firefighter for the Willowick Fire Department and as a part-time patrolman in Mentor-on-the-Lake.
He was killed Dec. 1, while on vacation in western Australia. A passing semi struck him as he pedaled down a country highway. The crash remains under investigation.
Sufilka was an experienced cyclist who spent many vacations biking across the United States and other countries.
When the Rev. Milton D. Smith met with Sufilka's family to discuss his eulogy, he said he quickly realized there were far too many Ed Sufilka stories to tell in one afternoon.
His stories were those of an adventurer. He once spent the night sleeping in an abandoned oil pipeline in Alaska, Zwegat said. He has been chased by bears and felt rattlesnakes wriggle under his tent as he slept in the Arizona desert.
Rarely could a notable place be mentioned without Sufilka saying, "Been there," or "Pedaled it," Zwegat said.
His favorite place to ride was Hawaii, Willowick Fire Chief Joe Busher said.
Whenever firefighters walked into the station and were greeted by the smell of Hawaiian coffee, they knew Sufilka was back.
And they knew they would always be treated to Sufilka's trademark gift of fresh pineapple, one of which he always saved for the chief and his wife, Busher said.
His family and co-workers frequently referred to him as a character. Someone who stood out. He even had a nickname, "The Falcon," or "Fal," which he received so long ago that few remember how he got it.
"He marched to the beat of his own drum, even if we all thought it was a little too loud at times," said his sister, Stephanie Skulley.
He never paid attention to trends or style, she said.
His 12-year-old Cadillac was the best ride around. And his wardrobe was limited to athletic wear, circa 1975, complete with knee-high white gym socks.
The day he died, Zwegat noticed Sufilka was full of enthusiasm.
"He was doing what he loved: seeing the world from the seat of his bicycle," he said.
So, when he was asked who missed him most, Zwegat told Sufilka what he always did.
"We all do, Fal."
