William Russell Mulligan was born in Pawtucket on this date in 1921 to the late Kathleen Agnes Riley (1899-1988) and the late William Frances Mulligan (1888-1970).

As best as I can remember he was always known by his middle name. A quiet, very intelligent and deeply caring man who always seemed to listen than expound. A bit of a rarity among our family tree male members, must be his Mulligan side was in dominate. My father, Patrick J. Riley (1900-1985) was Russell’s godfather.

The following has been gleaned from his obituary posted on the funeral home site:

Russell served in the U.S. Air Force in Europe during World War II. After the war he graduated from Northeastern University and later received a teaching certificate from Central Connecticut Teachers’ College, and taught in northwestern Connecticut for some years. In 1961, he earned a master’s degree in social work and worked as a clinical social worker at the Institute of Living in Hartford until 1964, when he returned to the Connecticut education system as a school social worker in the Newington schools until retiring in 1987.

Russell married Aileen Nettleton on April 18, 1964 in Hartford, CT

Upon retirement, he and Aileen moved to Stonington where he pursed his interests in oil painting, gardening, and travel.

Russell, was 83, when he passed on March 1, 2005, at following a long illness.

Russell had three sisters, Constance Welsh of Foxboro, MA., Marjorie Pacelli of Osterville, MA., and Janet Cushing of Tiberon, CA., and their families.

A memorial service was held in Foxboro, MA., with a private interment in the Calvary Church Memorial Garden in Stonington, CT

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