MULLEN, Shirley R. (Munroe) of Winchester on August 14, 2020. Beloved wife of the late Leonard J. Mullen Jr. Loving mother of Vaughn Mullen of Cambridge & the late Gregory L. Mullen. Adored Grandmother of Kristan Steele of Dracut,Jillian Mullen of Kennebunkport & Olivia Wadsworth of Salem. Great-Grandmother of Eliza Rafstedt of Kennebunkport,ME. Sister of the late Clara Munroe. Dear Aunt of the late Nancy Moore. A graveside service will be held at Wildwood Cemetery 34 Palmer St.Winchester on Thursday Aug. 20th at 11am all are welcome to attend.
Shirley Mullen passed away peacefully at home August 14, 2020.
Born and raised in Malden, MA, Shirley graduated from Malden High School. She earned a full scholarship to Boston University where she graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Journalism and where she met her husband, Leonard Mullen. Lennie who would go on to law school and become a lawyer. They married December 27, 1947 and would later have two sons Gregory and Vaughn. As an intern she interviewed first lady Eleanor Roosevelt. She worked as a reporter and eventually became the first woman editor of the Malden Press. Seeking new challenges, she taught at Mount Ida College, Chamberlain School of Retailing and other Universities. She enjoyed vacationing at Lake George, NY where she and her family could ride horses and enjoy the great outdoors. Sadly, she lost the love of her life, Lennie to a battle with cancer shortly after he was appointed Special Justice to the Somerville Court. She became widowed at the age of 48 and never remarried. She loved to travel, visiting many countries in Europe and she traveled throughout the United States, Canada and the Caribbean Islands.
She was the founder of Mullen Advertising, and Mahoney and Mullen Promotions. Many of her billboards could be seen while traveling on route one. Shirley was also hired by several politicans to help with their political campaigns because her contributions usually put them over the top. She became a partner and helped manage one of the first combination retail store gas stations in the area. She also worked for the Malden Youth Commission and the MA Dept. of Social Services where she was recognized for outstanding service. She was devoted to her mother Ruth and always made sure that her busy schedule didn’t conflict with their special time together. In 2011 she suffered a devastating loss when her oldest son Gregory passed away.
Shirley loved spending time with her family, traveling, gardening, cooking, reading, the theater, playing piano, listening to Billie Holiday, Louis Prima and discussing politics over a cocktail or two. She will be missed by all who knew her. She was 95.
Donations in her memory may be made to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215