May 31—GENEVA-ON-THE-LAKE — Ann and Eddie Sezon reacted with appreciation on Sunday afternoon as area residents Joanne and Don Holahan delivered memorable items and thoughts from Eddie’s Grill customers from all over the United States.

At the start of the 2023 season the Holahans reached out through a relative’s Facebook account to Eddie’s Grill customers form near and far. Joanne Holahan said she thought of the idea early in 2023 and was able to deliver a book of letters at the end of the 2023 season.

“We solicited comments, letters, photos and simple messages from his many patrons and compiled them into a photo and written memory book,” she said.

The couple also would hang out at Eddie’s Grill and talked to customers who then wrote down their favorite memories from the famous eatery.

One of the new items delivered Sunday was a Spencerian Writing Group creation, Joanne Holahan said. She said it was created by group members Pat Shells, Sally Fisher, Rose Mary Burns, Beth Read and Barbara Rand.

“I really don’t believe they [the Sezon family] realize what their restaurant has meant to so many teenagers growing up in the area,” she said.

Joanne Holahan said she has been on vacation in South Carolina and mentioned Geneva-on-the-Lake and people would say, “Oh Eddie’s Grill.” She said she is a retired teacher at the former Thomas Jefferson Elementary School in Ashtabula and would take students on field trips to the Geneva area and end up at Eddie’s Grill.

“When I explained to the fourth graders which person working was actually ‘Eddie,’ they reacted like he was a God. … Some of them even pursued jobs with him when they were old enough to work summer jobs,” Holahan said.

“I think it [the information delivered] is wonderful,” Ann Sezon said.