Obituary of Mary Ellen Mulholland

Mary Ellen Mulholland of Randolph, formerly of Fanwood, passed into the Lord’s hand on Wednesday, July 22, 2015 at the age of 82. Born on April 1, 1933 in Eau Claire WI, she was the 5th of seven children of Kathryn and Sebastian Nix. Mary Ellen was raised on a dairy farm in Strum, Wisconsin. As a young girl, she took over driving the tractor and helped milk the cows while her older brothers served in World War II. Her education began in a one room school house; she graduated from the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire with a teaching Certificate. She went on to teach elementary students in Wisconsin, Illinois, and Virginia. In 1957 she married John E. Mulholland and together they raised their four children. Her love of children shaped her adult life from her service as a Girl Scout leader to religious education teacher. With her extraordinary faith, she dedicated her life to helping those in need. Mary Ellen worked tirelessly to protect the lives of the unborn. In 1969 she co-founded the organization that later became Union County Right to Life. In 1979 she was named one of the “Outstanding Women of Fanwood” by the International Women’s Year Commission. She served as President of New Jersey Right to life in 1982, and was the New Jersey Delegate to the National Right to Life Committee for 16 years. In 1984 she received the “Guardian of Life” award from the New Jersey Right to Life Committee. As part of Healing the Children Organization Mary Ellen volunteered to be a host mother caring for children undergoing surgery. Noemi, from the Dominican Republic, immediately became a special part of the family. Mary Ellen is survived by her husband John, sisters Virgene Oldenburg and Kathleen Richter, two daughters Ellen Brown and Patricia (William) Dunne, son Edward (Gretchen) Mulholland and 9 grandchildren. John, Christopher and Kailyn Sooy, Sean Brown, Robert and Matthew Mulholland, and Meghan, Joseph, Timothy Dunne. She was preceded in death by her daughter Katherine Sooy. The family will be receiving friends at Tuttle Funeral Home, 272 Highway 10, Randolph, (www.tuttlefh.com) Tuesday, July 28th from 3-5 PM and 7-9 PM. The Funeral will be held at Resurrection Parish Wednesday, July 29, at 10:00 AM. Mary Ellen will be interred at Woodbine Cemetery, Eatontown, following the mass. In lieu of flowers, donations are requested in her memory to Life Education Council, PO Box 6198, Bridgewater, NJ 08807 or Morris County Right to Life P.O. Box 52, Morristown, NJ 07963.