Joan Mulligan Obituary

Mulligan
Joan Marie
(Sernett) Mulligan
October 14, 1932
December 1, 2024

Joan Marie Mulligan, 92, of Colorado Springs, Colorado was born in Hampton, Iowa and graduated from Algona High School, Algona, Iowa (1950) and the University of Northern Iowa (BA in elementary education, 1956). Joan (Jo) was preceded in death by her husband of 54 years, retired United States Air Force Colonel Patrick Mulligan and her son Michael Mulligan. As was typical of military families, Joan and her family moved 14 times. She was very involved in tutoring and volunteer work at school, church, Officers' Wives Club and community. She loved Notre Dame football. After her husband's retirement, Jo and Pat returned to Colorado Springs, CO. She loved being mother to her three children, grandmother to her seven grandchildren, and great-grandmother to her five great-grandchildren. Her husband passed in 2011. Joan was a woman of deep faith. Always, her greatest wish was to create a loving family. Joan is survived by her children: Mark Mulligan and his wife Susan; her daughter-in-law Nancy Mulligan; and her daughter Molly Mulligan and her husband Keith Buckmiller; her grandchildren, Rachel Bean, Patrick Mulligan, Maria Mulligan-Buckmiller, and Mackenzie Thompson; Ford Mulligan, Brennan Mulligan, and Merlin Mulligan; and her great-grandchildren Elliot and Sylvia Bean, McKenzie and Mark Mulligan; and Maisey Thompson. The family wishes to thank The Inn at Garden Plaza and the medical teams at Memorial Hospital and Pikes Peak Hospice. A funeral mass will be held for Joan at St. Mary's Cathedral on Friday, January 10, 2025 at 10am MST. Burial in the St. Mary's columbarium wall next to her husband will occur immediately following. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to a favorite local church or nature conservation organization.