John Clifford Mulhall
John Clifford Mulhall, age 91, of Monroe passed away November 20th, 2017 at the New Glarus Home.
John was born on January 24th, 1926, in Davis, IL; the only child of William and Verda (Buticofer) Mulhall. With his parents, he attended the Davis Calvary United Methodist Church. In elementary school he skipped the first grade because he couldn't fit in the chair, giving him the nickname "Big John". He graduated from Dakota High School where he lettered in football, basketball and baseball. He was first chair clarinetist. In 1942, he drove his dad's 1929 Ford Vagabond Green Model A to North Central College in Naperville and majored in biology and Zoology. He entered the Army in February of 1946 and served stateside finishing his military tenure as a sergeant stationed at Los Alamos, NM. After the war and throughout his life he earned additional degrees and accreditations at the University of Michigan and Central Michigan.
While in Michigan, he found his sweetheart Thelma (Bowron) and they were married there on July 22, 1950. John and Thelma settled in Monroe in July of 1961 after also living in Rockford and Sterling, IL. John worked on the railroad in Davis for a short time when he was younger just like his father and grandfather. He is remembered by many for 27 years of work at the Monroe Clinic before retiring. John worked at Monroe Trucking where he enjoyed driving big rigs well into his 80's. He was active in the community, elected to the Monroe school board, city council (alderman), and ran for Coroner in Stephenson County, IL. He was elected President of the Wisconsin Med Tech association. He was very proud of his part in preserving the historic Monroe Train Depot, and loved being one of Monroe's Santa Clauses for many years. He was involved with Boy Scouts and the local Barber Shop quartet. His hobbies were many and varied, among them, love of Gingko trees, stamp collecting, Norman Rockwells, bird watching, CB radio enthusiast, and listening to Big Band era music. On Sundays, "Big John" would religiously listen to Bill Korst's Big Band Show on WEKZ from Baumgartners with his friends where they had fun trying to go six for six on the mystery band portion of the show.
He is survived by his six sons, Robert (Lynette) Mulhall of McConnell, IL; William (Evelyn) Mulhall of Fitchburg; Pat (Melody) Mulhall of New Glarus; Richard (Anne) Mulhall of Northbrook, IL; Barry (Audrey) Mulhall of Deerfield, WI; Thomas (Catherine) Mulhall of Buena Vista, CO; 14 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren; nephew Fred Fleming, and nieces Cindy Gehrke, and Susan Vasbinder. He is predeceased by his parents and wife.
Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Saturday, November 25, 2017 at Shriner Hager Gohlke Funeral Home with Roger Bronkema, of Warren Methodist Church officiating. Burial will be at Greenwood Cemetery. A visitation will be held from 10:00 am until the time of service at the funeral home.
A memorial fund is being established in John's memory.
Condolences may be sent to the family at: shriner111.com.
John Clifford Mulhall, age 91, of Monroe passed away November 20th, 2017 at the New Glarus Home.
John was born on January 24th, 1926, in Davis, IL; the only child of William and Verda (Buticofer) Mulhall. With his parents, he attended the Davis Calvary United Methodist Church. In elementary school he skipped the first grade because he couldn't fit in the chair, giving him the nickname "Big John". He graduated from Dakota High School where he lettered in football, basketball and baseball. He was first chair clarinetist. In 1942, he drove his dad's 1929 Ford Vagabond Green Model A to North Central College in Naperville and majored in biology and Zoology. He entered the Army in February of 1946 and served stateside finishing his military tenure as a sergeant stationed at Los Alamos, NM. After the war and throughout his life he earned additional degrees and accreditations at the University of Michigan and Central Michigan.
While in Michigan, he found his sweetheart Thelma (Bowron) and they were married there on July 22, 1950. John and Thelma settled in Monroe in July of 1961 after also living in Rockford and Sterling, IL. John worked on the railroad in Davis for a short time when he was younger just like his father and grandfather. He is remembered by many for 27 years of work at the Monroe Clinic before retiring. John worked at Monroe Trucking where he enjoyed driving big rigs well into his 80's. He was active in the community, elected to the Monroe school board, city council (alderman), and ran for Coroner in Stephenson County, IL. He was elected President of the Wisconsin Med Tech association. He was very proud of his part in preserving the historic Monroe Train Depot, and loved being one of Monroe's Santa Clauses for many years. He was involved with Boy Scouts and the local Barber Shop quartet. His hobbies were many and varied, among them, love of Gingko trees, stamp collecting, Norman Rockwells, bird watching, CB radio enthusiast, and listening to Big Band era music. On Sundays, "Big John" would religiously listen to Bill Korst's Big Band Show on WEKZ from Baumgartners with his friends where they had fun trying to go six for six on the mystery band portion of the show.
He is survived by his six sons, Robert (Lynette) Mulhall of McConnell, IL; William (Evelyn) Mulhall of Fitchburg; Pat (Melody) Mulhall of New Glarus; Richard (Anne) Mulhall of Northbrook, IL; Barry (Audrey) Mulhall of Deerfield, WI; Thomas (Catherine) Mulhall of Buena Vista, CO; 14 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren; nephew Fred Fleming, and nieces Cindy Gehrke, and Susan Vasbinder. He is predeceased by his parents and wife.
Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Saturday, November 25, 2017 at Shriner Hager Gohlke Funeral Home with Roger Bronkema, of Warren Methodist Church officiating. Burial will be at Greenwood Cemetery. A visitation will be held from 10:00 am until the time of service at the funeral home.
A memorial fund is being established in John's memory.
Condolences may be sent to the family at: shriner111.com.