Back on this day in 1931, “PJ” (1900-1985) and Margaret Riley’s (1900-1938) twin boys were born. William Francis (1931-1966) and James Augustus Riley (1931-2010) were identical twins . They looked like they should have graced the cover of the Saturday Evening Post.
*see blog post February 12, 2020
Margaret Cecelia (McSally) Riley was born in Warwick, RI on this day back in 1900. On August 23, 1925, she and Patrick Joseph Riley (1900-1985) were married in St. Mary’s Church at the corner of Pine and Brown Streets in Pawtucket, RI.
Margaret Cecelia and Patrick Joseph had four children, two daughters and two sons. Their first born was Barbara (1927-2015), who later married Dick Fleury (1928-1992); Joan (1929-2019), was second and married Nick Daley (1927-1991). The boys were twins: William (1931-1966) and James (1931-2010), who both remained single.
Here is an 83 year old snapshot that may have been taken at Oakland Beach in Warwick, RI. The date of the photo is August, 1937. Margaret Cecelia passed away on June 14, 1938.
Elizabeth Daley Mahony born in Providence on this date to the late Joan Louise (Riley) Daley (1929-2019) and the late Frederick A. Daley (1927-1991). Beth’s maternal late grandparents were Patrick Joseph Riley (1900-1985), Margaret Cecelia McSally(1900-1938) and Margaret Frances Bartley (1911-1878), while her late paternal grandparents were John Thomas Daley (1892- ?) and Delia Calahan (1893- ?). Delia (Bridget) was born in Ireland.
After attending schools in the city – St Teresa’s and Saint Raphael Academy – Beth was off to URI, where she not only got herself a degree, but charmed a guy named Tom Mahony. A year or two after URI, the couple married and settled in California, building a new life and family.
Beth and Tom have been blessed with three children – Maeve, Luke and Liam.
And a recent addition…
*see blog post January 17, 2019
Marjorie Mulligan Pacelli was born on this date in Foxborough, Massachusetts to her late parents Kathleen Agnes Riley (1989-1988) and William Francis Mulligan (1886-1970).
Marjorie grew up in Foxborough, attending local schools, and graduating from Foxborough High, after having had a very successful academic career. She was the étoile of the French Club, and was a member of the Yearbook Club all through school. Here is her graduation picture:
Marjorie has two sisters, the late Connie Welch (1924-2020) and Janet Cushing, and a brother, the late William Russell Mulligan (1921-2005).
In July of 1948, Marjorie married Alfred J. Pacelli (1925-2017) at St. Mary’s Church in Foxboro, MA. They had four children: David, Richard, Christopher and Jennifer. Al passed away on Jan. 25, 2017 on the Cape where Marjorie still lives.
Happy Birthday to Marjorie.
Paula Mulligan Kostycz celebrates her birthday today down in southwest Florida, where the temperature will be about 72 degrees and the skies partly sunny. That is quite a contrast from the day Paula was born in the Pawtucket. According to the Pawtucket Evening Times, Paula arrived on a day with the temperatures ranging from 16 to 22 degrees and the skies were mostly cloudy. Although it was in the middle of winter, I bet that little girl’s late parents, Margaret Ernestine Riley (1910-1989) and Walter Francis Xavier Mulligan (1906-1957), were all a-glow with warm and sunny thoughts for the years ahead for their little Paula.
Paula is the third born of the four Mulligan siblings. Her sisters are Judy (1938-1962), and Martha, and she has one brother, Kevin. Then there is the man from Chicago, John Kostycz. Here is a very nice photo of the couple, who have been married for over 50 years.
Happy Birthday, Paula, and may your Florida OJ always be freshly squeezed.
*see blog post of Jan 14, 2020
Timothy Patrick Fleury, son of Barbara Riley Fleury (1927-2015) and Richard B. Fleury, Sr. (1928-1992), retired from his work career on Monday, January 4, 2021. Tim’s lovely wife Karen now must cope with this new situation. We wish her well.
Tim, an engineer, with a couple of college degrees, worked long, hard and smart in something called “heat transfer engineering.” I don’t know either, you’ll just have to ask him.
And more time devoted to his five month old grandson Oliver and his special Harley.
Happy retirement, Tim, you earned it, now enjoy it!
Kevin Francis Xavier Mulligan has himself a birthday today. Son of the late Margaret Ernestine Riley (1910-1989) and the late Walter Francis Xavier Mulligan (1906-1957), he is the youngest of the four Mulligan siblings and the only male.
Someone once said to me, “If you’re from Pawtucket, then you know Kevin.” To be well-known and well-liked is a nice label to have, and KFXM certainly carries that tag well. A high school athlete, a fireman, a teacher, a coach and later a high school and college track official, Kevin has himself quite a CV. Now-a-days his duties revolve around his two grandsons, Teddy and Ben, and some travel with his much better half, Gail.
Yup, Kevin is the type of guy who still chums around with his boyhood friends. He looks a lot like his handsome father – the original Francis Xavier.
Happy Birthday, Kev! May all your replaced parts continue to work smoothly.
*see blog post December 30, 2019
Kyle Clearwater Brown, was born on this date in Westerly, Rhode Island.# The youngest of Patricia Marguerite Riley Brown’s two sons, Kyle lives and works in the Pawtucket area.
A day. late, but Happy Birthday, Kyle!
*see blog post December 29, 2019
#corrected place of birth to Westerly
Every year Kathy places the Santa bank that my aunts Marion and Gertie gave to me under our Christmas tree. I think I was five years old when I received their gift. Here is a picture of it sitting under our present tree.
The gift that I have kept the longest is this maple rocking chair. It was gifted to me by Grandma Riley (1876-1962) on Christmas Day in 1949. My mother wrote the information on the bottom of the chair.
Francis Charles Riley , “Uncle Francis,” was born in Pawtucket on this date in 1915.* His mother and father were the late Marguetta Etta Greenhalgh (1876-1962) and the late Patrick Leo Riley (1875-1955). Uncle Francis was actually born at 146 Pond Street, not the “iconic number 19” that is so familiar to some of us.
This site has already written about Francis’s early life – the youngest of the eight Riley siblings, graduating from St. Raphael Academy, being a very good second baseman, marrying Rita Colemen in October of 1941 and entering the US Army just four months later and serving until 1945. And of course we cannot forget back in the early 50’s, the birth of their son, Stephen Francis.
What I fondly remember about “Uncle Frank” was how nice he always was. He had a great personality, seemed to love work and actually had this great wallpapering skill. I think he papered every room in our house on Perrin Avenue! What surprised some was how the guy could dance. Frank could glide across the dance floor as smoothly as a professional ice skater. It was neat to see him display his dance moves.
Francis and Rita were married for almost 33 years before Rita passed away on January 6, 1974. Francis passed on March 2, 2004 at the age of 88.
*see December 24, 2019 post
On this day in Pawtucket, back in 1910, Margaret E. (Riley) Mulligan* was born to the late Marguetta E. Greenhalgh (07/27/1876) and the late Patrick Leo Riley (06/07/1875). Margaret’s first year or two of life were spent with the family at 237 Middle Street, in the old Sacred Heart Parish section of Pawtucket. She then lived most of her life within 3 miles of where she was born, which was the norm back in early years of the 20th Century. During her twenties, Margaret worked at the “phone company,” then know as New England Telephone and Telegraph – a good job back then. Some years later, one of her daughters had a nice career within the phone industry.
Margaret married Walter Frances Xavier Mulligan (1906-1957) on September 6, 1937. It is their wedding reception photo that is featured across the header of this 19pondstreet website. Here is their engagement photo:
Everyone loved “Aunt Margaret.” Just the thought of her brings a smile to those who knew her. I can tell you that she was very kind and welcoming to my mother (Margaret F Bartley 1911-1978), when she married into the Riley clan.
Margaret and Walter had three daughters: Judith, Martha, Paula and one son, Kevin. Unfortunately, Walter passed away on February 4, 1957 at the age of 51. Margaret passed at the age of 78 on September 2, 1989.
* see blog post dated 12/19/2019
Nicholas (Nick) Richard Orlando , son of Nancy Lynn Fleury and Anthony F. Orlando, was born in Providence on this date, so Nick’s got himself a Happy Birthday today. The weather that day was a bit cloudy and it was pretty cold, even for a day in December. The high struggled to hit 28 degrees with a late night low of 11. At the time, Nick didn’t really care about the weather, he just wanted some nourishment and to get on with life.
Nick’s maternal grandmother, the late Barbara Riley Fleury (1927-2015) and his grandfather, the late Richard B. Fleury, Sr. (1928-1992) were pretty excited about this new Orlando. I can even remember getting the call from Barbara while I was at work.
Nick, a University of Rhode Island grad, follows the strong Fleury tradition of working with one of America’s top defense contractors. Not too sure what he does or in what division he works, and that’s they way he wants to keep it. Now, he could explain it all, but I wouldn’t know what the heck he was telling me. I am still struggling with compound interest and basic fractions.
So Happy Birthday to Nick, and enjoy those animations classes.
In Providence on this day, the Mulligan twins were born to Gail and Kevin. Can’t remember if it was Caitlin then Elizabeth or Elizabeth then Caitlin who was first born, but I bet it mattered to each as they grew up.
All of that is behind them now. Liz, is the Controller at The Sage School in Foxboro, MA. She and her husband Nick Murzycki are raising their two boys, Teddy and Ben. For a while now, Caitlin has been an attorney at Ropes and Gray in Boston, which happens to be one the nation’s most prestigious law firms. Whether it be for work or for pleasure, Caitlin enjoys traveling the world. So, you never know where Caitlin will pop-up next.
Happy Birthday to Caitlin and Liz! On this cold day, we lift a nice mulled wine in your honor.
Kathleen Mary (McLoughlin) Riley has a Birthday today.*
Those who know Kathy realize that volumes could be written about her effervescence, her selflessness and the smile that lights up her pretty face. But, in keeping spirit with past discussions with Kathy, there will be no age or birth year references employed and no use of close up photography. I will delicately follow those suggestions as they will protect this administrator in any future court dates.
But I will through a bit of caution to the wind and state that:
Kathy embraces each day with enthusiasm determination
and as always, Kathy forges ahead to the future.
Yesterdays Mass had as a First Reading Proverbs 31, its words were so appropriate:
When one finds a worthy wife,
her value is far beyond pearls.
Her husband, entrusting his heart to her,
has an unfailing prize.
She brings him good, and not evil,
all the days of her life.
***********************************************
Happy Birthday Kath!
So blessed to have spent that “certain number” with you!
Today would have been Helen Manning Riley’s 99th birthday. Helen was born on this day in 1921 and passed on June 25, 1994. Married to William Leo Riley on September 6, 1952, the couple had three children, Patricia, William and Paul.
Here is a picture of Helen with her daughter Patricia:
It was on this day in 1962 that Judith Mulligan Moore passed away. Judy was the oldest daughter of Walter and Margaret (Riley) Mulligan. She died at the age of 24 years, leaving her husband David and two daughters; 17 months old Susan and 1 month old Kathryn.
May Helen and Judy, and all the souls of the faithful departed, Rest In Peace.
19 Pond Street 