Mary Florence Mullen (1925-2002) Chicago, IL
MARY FLORENCE MULLEN
In loving memory of Mary Florence Mullen, 1925-2002. She was born Feb. 12, 1925 on a wheat ranch her father owned in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. When she was six, her father prematurely died and she, her two brothers and her mother returned to Chicago, where her mother was a public school teacher. While in high school, during WWII years, she became a photographic model in Chicago, then later was selected as a "Pond's Girl" and because she was engaged to be married, participated in their national advertising campaign with the theme "She's engaged, She's lovely, She uses Ponds" and with her mother made a trip to New York to be photographed by the famous New York photographer, Phillipe Halsman. From that flowed many other modeling jobs that displayed the classical beauty of her face and personality. Then she became married to her husband, a U.S. Marine flight instructor and stopped her schooling at Barat College in Lake Forest at the end of her sophomore year. Later, after she and her husband returned from the Air Base at Pensacola, FL, they lived in Wilmette for 20 years and she raised six children. Then they moved to Chicago's near north side on Ritchie Court and she returned to school at Loyola's downtown campus and received her Ph.B. degree in sociology. Before returning to Loyola she worked on an experimental patterning program at Angel Guardian Orphanage. Patterning was a method where they would put handicapped children through certain physical exercises which were designed to improve the deficiencies that they might have in learning or other mobility areas. After that, for about four years, she tutored children in reading at St. Francis Cabrini School. She was very active in strongly supporting Misericordia by participating in "Candy Days", by activity, in operation of the Family Fest Auction, by attending various annual functions that Misericordia relies upon for financial support and by substantial direct annual contributions. In 1979-1980, when she was President of the Association of Wives of Illinois Lawyers, she embarked on a program to try to improve conditions for women when they were arrested, brought to court and imprisoned. She thought it was appalling the way women were treated. "She was considered family in the Illinois State Bar Association and she will be missed by us all" said former Executive Director, John H. Dickason, on learning of her death. In working with the Illinois Bar Association, she was a very active member of the Standing Committee on the Mentally Disabled from 1981 to 1986, she was Chairperson of the Women's Board of DePaul University 1989 to 1991, she was President of the Associates Alumnae of the Sacred Heart. Her son Christopher, a lawyer, lives in Wilmette, her son Brian lives in Seattle, her son Michael lives in Tucson; her daughter Ann Antonsson in Fair Oaks, CA, her daughter, Marl Mullen in Port Townsand, WA and her specially beloved daughter Jane, who is developmentally disabled, lives in Chicago at Misericordia. She resided at North Ritchie Court for 27 years until her death on May 20, 2002. She is deeply loved and missed by her husband, Jack and by all of her family. In his funeral eulogy at Holy Name Cathedral, Bishop Timothy Lyne described her dedication to a charitable life and love of family. Sister Rosemary Connelly of Misericordia spoke, "Mary Florence was beautiful inside and out, she was loving and kind. She was very courageous." Her family and friends will celebrate the 10th anniversary of her absence with a loving and beautiful memory of her wonderful and caring life on May 20th. .Published in Chicago Tribune on May 20, 2012 .