Caroline Mulhern

Caroline Mulhern, long-time resident of Beattie, KS, passed away at Good Shepherd Hospice House in Manhattan, KS, on July 25, 2019, after battling cancer. Visitation will be Friday, August 9, 2019 from noon until 5 p.m. at Kinsley Mortuary.  A rosary service will be at 7 p.m. at St. Malachy's Catholic Church, Beattie.   Mass of Christian Burial is 10 a.m., Saturday, August 10, 2019, at St Malachy's Catholic Church. Pallbearers will be Larry Mulhern, Pat Mulhern, Tom Mulhern, Dan Mulhern, Jim Mulhern, Bill Mulhern and John Mulhern. Burial is in St. Patrick Cemetery. Caroline Mulhern was born September 8, 1926, in Axtell, KS, the daughter of August Stueve and Marie Johnson Stueve.  She grew up on various farms in the Axtell, Beattie, and Summerfield, KS area. She attended Summerfield High School where she was salutatorian and homecoming football queen of her graduating class.  Following high school she taught school for four years at several Marshall County country schools. Later, after her children were in school, she was a substitute teacher for many years.  She also attended Kansas State University and was a fan of K-State athletics until the end. Following his return from serving in the Pacific in World War II, she married fellow classmate Lawrence V. (Mike) Mulhern on August 30, 1947, at Holy Family Church in Summerfield. Caroline was an avid quilter and participated in the making of many quilts for the St. Malachy’s Guild auctions as well as making personal quilts for each of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.   She was a charter member of the Beattie Better Builders Extension Unit and served as president of the Marshall County Extension Council. She was also well known in the area for her sons’ spelling accomplishments and was once referred to as “le grande dame” of Marshall County spelling by the Marysville Advocate after her sons won 13 Marshall County spelling championships and 2 Kansas state spelling championships.  She was occasionally seen walking around Beattie, with a son in tow, practicing spelling. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Lawrence, a baby daughter Katherine, five brothers, and two sisters. Survivors include her seven sons, Larry, Tucson AZ, Pat (Kim), Sierra Vista AZ, Tom (Yolanda), Eugene OR, Dan (Terry), Manhattan KS, Jim, Lawrence KS, Bill, Colorado Springs CO, John, Liberal KS, eight grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, Caroline requested donations be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.   Contributions may be sent in care of Kinsley Mortuary. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Caroline Mulhern, please visit our flower store.