Jerry Michael Mulloy, 78, died suddenly on December 12, 2020 at Overland Park Regional Hospital after suffering an acute hemorraghic stroke. His wife, Conceicao Guilherme-Mulloy was at his side.
As Jerry and his siblings were growing up their mother Margaret Gallagher Mulloy would often ask them after they had recited some explanation of where they had been or what they had been doing, “Is that the truth or are you telling me a Mulloy story?” So it is not surprising that there is some confusion about how Jerry acquired the name Jerry and wasn’t named Gerard, Gerald or Jerome which would have better matched the very traditional Irish Catholic names of Jerry’s seven siblings. What some understood is that because Jerry was born prematurely in July, 1942 just 9 months after his sister, Connie, he was not expected to live. Perhaps feeling the pressure to act quickly, Jerry’s parents let their oldest child, six year old Jim, provide the new baby’s first name.
Jerry lived his first seven years with his family right across East 24th Street from St.Michael’s Church and School in Kansas City, Missouri, in the same building as his maternal grandmother, Cassie Gallagher. The family lived a real city life as they walked or took buses everywhere and spent time in the nearby Gallagher’s Tavern a business started by their grandfather, James Gallagher years earlier. Jerry and his “Irish twin,”Connie, played in nearby streets and alleys. A memorable experience happened to Jerry when he was hit by a car as he was racing across 24th Street. The car hit Jerry with such force that Jerry was catapulted in the air and over the telephone pole wire. If you have read the book “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn” then you have some idea of what life was like in that part of Kansas City in the 1940’s.
In 1949 Jerry and his family moved to Kansas, to Roeland Park specifically. Jerry graduated from St. Agnes grade school and later Bishop Miege High School. Jerry set pins at the St.Agnes Bowling Alley and became a good bowler. He appeared more than once on a local TV show “Bowling with Molen”.
Jerry graduated from Miege when he was 16. When he turned 18 he joined the U.S. Marines. Jerry went to Camp Lejeune for his basic training and later was a reservist at the Olathe Naval Air Station.
After the Marines, Jerry was a commercial truck driver for a few short years and literally saw most of the lower 48 states. During his trips home in Kansas City Jerry drove one or another of the successive convertibles he owned. The first was a black Corvair with a white top and red interior. How his brother, John pestered him for rides or to borrow that car. John’s short errands to the Thriftway grocery store in Roeland Park turned into afternoon long excursions. Later, Jerry had a silver Thunderbird convertible. A generous older brother, more than once, Jerry took his youngest sister and her gaggle of girlfriends to the drive-in movie theatre in that car. Jerry was tolerant as well because he took these same girls to the drive in more than once even after they had jammed the power windows in the car. Those types of windows were a novelty in 1968.
In 1970 Jerry began working at the former Kansas City Power and Light and became a member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers local # 1613. Jerry worked for KCP&L for 43 years retiring in 2013 when he was 70.
During the 1970’s Jerry had two daughters, Michelle Marie Mulloy and Romina Bassio Mulloy. Both daughters inherited from Jerry his love of learning and academic abilities. Jerry graduated from Johnson County Community College, and, in his 50’s graduated from Friends University.
In 2002 Jerry and Conceicao Guilherme married, and Conceicao, took the name Conceicao Guilherme-Mulloy. Conceicao was a loving and beloved wife, soulmate and confidante. In 2009, Jerry’s daughter, Romina, her husband Michael Levine and their five year old son, Ariel died in a house fire in Dallas. Jerry survived this devastation because of Conceicao and their strong relationship.
Jerry loved to learn; he was a lifelong learner. His sister, Sean, recalls that when they were young he read the complete set of encyclopedias that the family owned. Jerry almost daily did a crossword puzzle.
Jerry also liked to travel. He spent extended amounts of time in Brazil and Argentina and considered his trip to Ireland with his daughter Romina following her law school graduation to stay with his Gallagher Feeney cousins to have been one of the highlights of his life.
Jerry was a good son, brother, uncle, father and grandfather. He cheerfully helped care for his mother in her last years. Jerry was an inspiration. He gave up smoking and drinking. Jerry took up three wheeled bicycle riding in his 70’s and rode in the Lenexa Moonlight Bike Ride.
Jerry was predeceased by his parents, James and Margaret Gallagher Mulloy; by his brother John J. Mulloy; his daughter Romina Mulloy Levine, her husband, Michael Levine and Jerry’s only grandchild, Ariel S. Levine; by his nephew, Tim Mulloy; and by his grand nieces, Rachel Occhipinto and Riley Paige Maxwell. His mourners - a prolific Irish clan - include his wife, Conceicao; his daughter Michelle Mulloy and husband, Eric Dalman; his two married sisters and their spouses - Connie and Anthony Occhipinto, and Catherine Sean and Richard Spraley; and his sister, Mary Mulloy. Jerry’s brothers and their wives live out of town: Jim and Sarah Mulloy in Lisle, Illinois; Denny and Deidre Mulloy in Keller, Texas; and Pat and Flo Mulloy in Pagosa Sorings, Colorado. Jerry leaves behind many nieces and nephews and a bigger number of great nieces and nephews including his two loving and loved godchildren, Seamus Mulloy of Phoenix, Arizona and Bridget Occhipinto Wasko of Olathe, Kansas. In addition, Jerry left many long time friends.
Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote “that man is a success who has lived well, laughed often and loved much”. By that definition Jerry Mulloy was indeed a success as most people who knew him for any length of time noted his quick wit and amazing one liners.
A funeral Mass is being held for Jerry at Holy Trinity Church in Lenexa, Kansas at 10:30 AM on Tuesday, January 5, 2021. Burial will take place immediately after at Resurrection Cemetery. The funeral will be livestreamed.
The family requests no flowers and, if you are so inclined, please consider making a donation in Jerry’s name to the Johnson County Library Foundation, Catholic Charities of Northeast Johnson County or a nonprofit of your choice.