Sue Mulkey’s obituary

Below is my Mom’s obituary that appeared in The Tullahoma (TN) News last Friday. My brother Art, my sister Nancy and I collaborated on writing it.

Sue Mulkey’s Obituary

Sue Mulkey, 88, longtime resident of Tullahoma (TN), died Sunday, May 26, at Harton Regional Medical Center.

Sue Mulkey with grandson Jack

Sue was born to the late Dewey and Effie Tilghman, January 9, 1925, in Garrett, TX, and was raised in the home of her grandparents, Mae and Arthur McCarthy. She graduated from Irving (TX) High School in 1942, and she married the late Mack Mulkey on June 20, 1942. During WWII she was a fashion model for the famed Dallas dress maker, Abraham Zapruda (who also is famous for filming President Kennedy’s assassination in Dallas). Sue and Mack lived in Mount Pleasant, TX before relocating to Tullahoma in 1953, when Mack began work at Arnold Engineering Development Center as an electrical engineer, along with many of their friends from CONVAIR in Daingerfield, TX.

Sue loved being a wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, and truly enjoyed watching her progeny play sports and participate in school activities. In addition, she was passionate about her role as a citizen activist and was deeply involved in many political campaigns. Through the years, Sue and her late husband Mack supported equal rights for all, peaceful settlement of disputes among nations, open government, and clean air and water for us and our children. She was a lifelong blood donor to the American Red Cross, and her generosity was well known by family, friends, neighbors, and the community.

Sue is survived by three children: Bruce (Shonnie) Mulkey, of Asheville, NC; Arthur (Eve) Mulkey, of Avon Park, FL; and Nancy (Mike) Chaney, of Tullahoma. She also is survived by seven grandchildren: Lilla (Brandon) Newton, Dylan (Kristin) Mulkey, Chris (Andra) Jones, Annie (Chris) Rone, Austin (Amy) Dunham, Larissa Chaney, Mark Chaney and Gracelyn Mulkey, as well as eleven great-grandchildren.

Sue was a great lover of animals, therefore the family requests that donations in her name be made to the Tullahoma Animal Shelter, 942 Maplewood Ave., P.O., Box 807, Tullahoma, TN, 37388.

Sue requested her body be donated to Vanderbilt University Medical School and her hair be given to “Locks of Love”. A private family gathering celebrating Sue’s life was recently held in Tullahoma.

The family wishes to express their sincere gratitude to Dr. Stephen Bills and the staff of Harton Regional Medical Center for their compassionate care during Sue’s stay there.