Obituary of Therese M. Mullen

Palmer--Therese Mullen, 91, of Wilbraham (formerly of Palmer, MA) passed away on Monday, March 1, 2021. Terry was residing at Orchard Valley of Wilbraham. Terry was born to the late Albert and Sheila (Grummel) Phaneuf on June 30, 1929 in Detroit, Michigan. She grew up in Ludlow, MA, attended local schools and graduated in 1948 as Valedictorian of her Cathedral High School class. She went on to earn her RN in 1951 from the Springfield School of Nursing (now Baystate Hospital).

     A voracious learner, Terry continued her education and graduated from Springfield College with a BS in 1967. In 1970, she earned an MS in Nursing Education from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, returning a few years later to earn a Nurse Practitioner Certification. Terry worked as a nurse, a supervisor and Director of Nursing at Monson Developmental Center for a total of almost forty years. She made lasting friends from nursing school, college and from the community of Palmer as well as from many who both lived and worked at Monson Developmental Center. Terry was a loving and well loved, wife, mother, grandmother, daughter, sister, aunt, cousin and friend, but her favorite ”hat” was her Nurses Cap and Pin and her favorite title was Nurse! She simply loved being a nurse and helping people. There was a time if a friend or family member was hospitalized, Terry would put on that hat and pin a go to the hospital to “special” them. Terry remained close friends to the end with several women who graduated from Nursing School with her.

       She was an active member of the Massachusetts Nurses Association, serving for one term as President. She valued education dearly and never stopped learning. Terry was a creative soul who, over the years, sewed many of her own and her children’s clothes. She quilted, she hooked beautiful rugs, embroidered and wove baskets. She was a member of the Rosary Sodality, she taught Catechism, and she served as a lector at St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Palmer for many years.

     Throughout the years, when her family was young, she worked full time at Monson Developmental Center, but would always find the time to cook a special Sunday dinner every week for the entire family, including both grandparents! After her retirement, she participated as a member of the Palmer Rotary Club and for eighteen years she volunteered with Top Floor Learning.

     Terry knew the value of family and friends, of education, the importance of personal generosity, of volunteering, as well as for working hard for what you want. Throughout her life, she exemplified these virtues. One of her many remarkable and selfless contributions was to the Nurses’ Health Study and Brain Donation Initiative to which she continued to contribute information until her passing.

     Terry married Kenneth H. Mullen in 1952 and Palmer has been her home for over 60 years. She is survived by her three children: Susan Boucher (Frank) of Monson, MA, Jane Sutphin (Jim) of Enfield, CT and Janet Mullen (Steven) of East Brunswick, NJ. She is also survived by six, much loved grandchildren: Jared and Ryan Boucher, Cameron and Conor Sutphin, Alexandra and Jamison Brill, three sweet great-grandchildren; her sister Yvonne (Judy) Pedersen, her sister-in-law Phyllis Phaneuf as well as cousins, nieces and nephews. Terry was predeceased by her husband Kenneth, her brothers, Raymond and Leodore Phaneuf, here sisters-in-law, Janet Miller, Wynell (Joy) Phaneuf and Marie Mullen, her brothers-in-law, Robert Mullen and Wilbur (Bing) Miller as well as her nephew, Russell Miller & niece, Terie Miller Jacobus.     

Calling hours will be Thursday, March 11, 2021 at Beers & Story Palmer Funeral Home, 1475 N Main St. beginning at 9am followed by procession to St. Thomas the Apostle Church for Therese’s funeral mass at 11am. Burial will be in the spring at St. Thomas Cemetery, Palmer. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that people consider making donations to Top Floor Learning, 1455 North Main St. Palmer, MA 01068, The Alzheimer’s Association, 225 N Michigan Ave. Fl 17, IL 60601 (act.alz.org), The ALS Association, 4 Oxford Road, Unit E4, Milford, CT 06460 or to the charity of your choice.