The family of Edward Patrick Mulvihill III is deeply saddened to announce the passing of their beloved husband, father and grandfather on January 12th, 2013.

Ed was born on April 22nd, 1931 to Gertrude and Edward Patrick Mulvihill II in Oakland, CA. He grew up with older sisters Gertrude (Trudy) and Madelyn (Byzie) as proud, second generation Irish-Americans.  He graduated from Oakland High School in 1949, then went on to the City College of San Francisco.

Four years of service in the United States Air Force during the Korean War interrupted Ed‘s college; he completed his Bachelor of Arts degree at San Francisco State College in 1957.  Here he pursued an interest in dramatic arts that started in high school, leading to numerous performances on stage and on television.  He was a founding member of the London Circle Players theatre in Oakland, where he met Dorothy Blais, his wife of 54 years, who he spotted across the room while auditioning for a play.

During this time, Ed discovered that his love of literature, combined with his interest in theatre arts, led him to his true calling as a high school English teacher, a position he would hold at Escalon High School for over 30 years. For many years he also served as the school drama coach squeezing in full productions between basketball games in the girls’ gym.

Ed treasured the dedication of the Senior yearbook to him in his second year at EHS. The many honors that followed during his teaching career included Escalon Board of Trustees Outstanding Teacher Award for 1971-72, Teacher of the Year for 1989, Homecoming Grand Marshall the year he retired, and induction into the EHS Hall of Fame.

Ed moved with Dorothy and their children Patrick, Sandy and Deanna to Raymus Village, just outside Manteca, in 1968, and remained there the rest of his life. A life long fisherman, who grew up fishing along San Francisco Bay, he came to love the rivers and lakes of the valley, introducing his children to the pleasures being outdoors, sitting on a shady river bank.

His other pleasures came from reading, listening to music and watching classic movies, but most particularly from tending his garden and enjoying a good pipe.  He was also an avid craftsman and modeler, creating villages, intricate reproductions of train cabooses and other decorations for the home and garden.

Ed felt truly blessed to have so many good friends in his life, including his life-long friend Stan Thompson, the Escalon Stockyard lunch gang and the numerous faculty and students who remained in contact throughout the years, Al and Eleanor Ackerman and his fantastic neighbors on Modoc Court.

Ed was preceded in death by his sister Trudy and brother-in-law Dick Minger and by his sister Byzie Byron.

Ed is survived by his wife Dorothy, his son Patrick, daughter-in-law Sharron, granddaughters Caitlin and Megan, his daughter Sandy and son-in-law William Badgett and daughter Deanna.

Additional survivors include brother-in-law Tom Byron, nieces Susan and Patricia Minger, nephew Timothy Minger, brother and sister-in law James and Carol Blais, nieces Janine (Dave) Carlson and Joan (Mark) Gockenbach and their children.

The family would like to acknowledge the tremendous care and genuine compassion provided to their father by the many wonderful nurses, support staff, lab technicians and doctors at Doctors Hospital of Manteca and the home healthcare nurses and therapists whose support and encouragement kept him going this past year. And the emergency response crew whose respectful support was invaluable to us during our father‘s final moments.

The family is especially grateful to Dr. Karl Wolf, Ed’s primary physician.
A celebration of Ed’s life will be held on Friday, January 18th at 1:00 p.m. at the Evergreen Chapel in Cherokee Memorial Park, East Harney Lane at HWY 99 in Lodi, California.  In lieu of flowers, the family asks that his memory be honored by planting something living or donating to the California State Railroad Museum.

Please sign the online guestbook at www.cherokeememorial.com

Manteca (Calif.) Bulletin
Wednesday, January 16, 2013