Obituary of Diane-M. -Dawson Mullin

WALLINGFORD - Diane Mary Dawson Mullin, RN, born March 5, 1934 departed this life on Tuesday, July 26. Originally from Watertown, Mass., she lived in Wallingford, for 36 years. She was the beloved wife of Dr. Robert L. Mullin, MD.A graduate of Watertown High School, she continued her education at St Elizabeth's School of Nursing in Brighton, Mass., where she met her husband, Robert while he was a medical student. They were married in September 1955, and proceeded to raise a family of seven children, living in several different locations across the country. Due to her husband's career in the U.S. Navy, she lived in New York, Philadelphia, Charleston, S.C., Keflavik, Iceland, San Diego, Calif., and Boston, Mass., before settling in Wallingford upon her husband's retirement from the Navy in 1975. She played an active role in her children's lives and her love for the young prompted her to start a kindergarten program on the Navy Base in Keflavik.She will most be remembered for her role as a loving and caring mother, grandmother, aunt, and sister, and for the friendships she made and maintained all over the country. She kept in touch with hundreds of relatives, friends and neighbors, and rarely missed a birthday, an anniversary, wedding, or special occasion. A collector of antiques and ephemera, she created and maintained a beautiful and welcoming home that was always open to friends and generations of her children's friends, which boasted a beautiful, museum-like Christmas decor each year, featuring trimmed trees in every room and her amazing fudge and gingerbread men. She was an avid Boston Red Sox and Celtics fan, as well as a supporter of her children's many activities. She was a prolific reader, and shared stories, books and interesting tidbits with everyone. One of her signature acts was to donate a book to libraries in honor or memory of friends and loved ones. She was a parishioner of The Church of the Resurrection and could always be counted on to donate raffle items for the bizarre, holiday presents for the Giving Tree, or food for the annual carnival. She was also a strong, life-long supporter of many charitable causes, locally and internationally.She was predeceased by her parents, William James Dawson and Alice Frances Holland Dawson; two sisters, Patricia Dawson and Alice Marie Dawson Cecere; a sister-in law, Joan Sheldon Dawson; and a brother-in-law, William Francis Mullin. She is survived by her husband, Dr. Robert L. Mullin, MD; their children, son, Stephen Mullin, his wife, Janet, and their children, Natasha Levitas (Josh Levitas), Genvieve Goldstein, Ariel Allam (Omar Allam), and Alessandra Mullin; daughter, Roberta Mullin, her husband, Scott Loynd; daughter, Michele Mullin and her son, Andrew Mullin; daughter, Diane Mullin, her husband, David Wulfman and their son, William (Liam) Wulfman; daughter, Denise Mullin, her partner, Mary Redding, and their daughter, Lillian (Lilly) Redding; son, Michael Mullin, his wife, Danielle and their children, Sophie and Maxwell (Max) Mullin; and daughter, Maureen Mullin Fowler, her husband, Larry Fowler and their daughter, Olivia Diane Fowler. She is also survived by her brother, William James Dawson; nieces, Patricia Dawson Wilkins, Denise Dawson Miller, Martha Dawson Barnard, Kathy Mullin Henrich; nephews, William James Dawson III and Paul Mullin; and a sister-in-law, Gwendolyn Derby Mullin.Her family would like to extend their thanks Dr. Cooney, Sigrid Wiemers, RN, and the staff at the Adler Clinic, the staff of Arden Courts, VITAS Hospice, and our wonderful neighbors, Kim and Tim Ryan for the excellent care and compassion that they provided.Her family will receive relatives and friends in The Wallingford Funeral Home, 809 North Main St. Ext., Sunday, July 31, from 3 until 7 p.m. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated Monday at 10a.m at The Church of the Resurrection, 115 Pond Hill Road, Wallingford. Interment will be in St. John Cemetery in Wallingford. In lieu of flowers, gifts in her memory may be made to New England Home for Little Wanders, (www.thehome.org) a charity Diane supported throughout her life. www.wallingfordfh.com