Obituary: Paul John Mulvihill

Paul John Mulvihill was born in the summer of 1919 in Clifton, N.J., the youngest of four children to Josephine Streckfuss and William Mulvihill. He passed back into his mother's arms May 9, 2009 just in time for Mother's Day.

Paul attended Patterson College and was employed by the Passaic, N.J. and Charlotte, N.C. divisions of The U.S. Rubber Company where in eight years he had worked to foremanship. He entered the Army in 1944 and served with the 30th Division, 120th Infantry in Germany where he was seriously and almost mortally wounded after crossing the Ruhr River. He would later say that there were two reasons he lived, one being that the mine he tripped over misfired at a lower leg level instead of chest level and that as he lay in the snow covered mine field that took the lives that night of 60 of the 100 men in his unit, he prayed to the Blessed Mother to spare his life for his family.

According to the History of the 120th Infantry Regiment, "The heroism of those soldiers who went through the minefield is beyond imagination. Groping through dense woods in complete darkness, wading cold winter waters formed by the flooded Ruhr, these brave men suddenly and without warning struck the mines. The enemy hearing the explosions brought down mortar fire. They who did what lesser men never could have accomplished reached the absolute ultimate of unit courage."

After the war, Paul moved his young family to his beloved woods and lakes of New Jersey where they "camped" for six months until he completed their first home moving in just before Thanksgiving Day, 1947. In 1972 Paul's dream of "living out West" was fulfilled by a family move to the Carson City area. The Veterans Administration Community Living Center became his final home in 2005 where he felt loved and was cared for by an incredibly talented and devoted staff.

Paul loved the outdoors, reading, coin collecting, and the stock market.

Surviving Paul are his wife of 68 years, Anna Reynolds Mulvihill; daughters Virginia Thompson (Dave) of California, Margo Mulvihill of Reno, Theresa Rucker (John) of Reno, and Paul F. Mulvihill of Texas; 10 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Preceding him in death were his parents, infant sister Mary, older brother Bill, infant sister Josephine and daughters June Rigsby and Ruthanne Mulvihill both of Carson City.

No funeral services are planned per Paul's request. Interment is by Waltons Chapel of the Valley in Carson City. A gathering of family and friends is planned for July 11, 2009 and will be announced. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the VA Medical Center, Reno, Nevada at 1000 Locust St. Reno 89502 in care of the Director.