Obituary of Marie M Mulcahy

Marie M. “Terry” Mulcahy February 26, 1937 – May 1, 2021 Marie M. “Terry” Mulcahy of Basking Ridge, NJ passed away peacefully on the morning of May 1, 2021 at the age of 84. Born and raised in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, NY, Terry moved to Mendham, NJ with her husband Robert E. Mulcahy III, her college sweetheart, where they resided for 37 years until moving to Basking Ridge in 1999. A devoted wife, mother and grandmother, Terry’s life served as a testament to a generational commitment to selfless service. Terry earned her B.A. in Sociology from the College of New Rochelle and soon following graduation she married Bob. Together and individually, they have made enormous contributions to Mendham, Basking Ridge and the State of New Jersey, including raising a family of seven children who are also devoted to community service. Terry enjoyed two careers: instructor and founding partner of Mendham Stitchery and as a real estate agent for Burgdorff Realtors in Mendham. Manifesting a generational commitment to selfless service Terry was a tireless volunteer and community leader. She served on the Board of Directors of the New Jersey Ballet, a member of the Mendham Board of Education, a trustee of the Mendham Senior Housing Corporation and as a member of the Board of Directors of The Shire (now Daytop), a residential treatment center for teenage alcoholics. Terry coordinated retirement seminars and served on the Family Life Curriculum Committee of the Mendham Borough School District, and as a delegate to the White House Conference on Families. She served her alma mater as a member of the National Campaign Committee, the New Jersey co-chair of the 90th Anniversary Celebration and Chair of the Garden State Alumnae/I Club. Terry manifested her faith in service to both St. Joseph’s Parish Mendham and St. James Parish Basking Ridge. She coordinated lectors and Eucharistic ministers, taught CCD for 20 years, and sang in the choir. She also served as Parish Coordinator and board member of Eva’s Kitchen and Sheltering Program in Paterson. In 1990, she and Bob were inducted into the Knights and Ladies of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Terry’s wisdom, energy, counsel and commitment to family were an unwavering asset to her husband Bob through his tenures as mayor of Mendham, Chief of Staff to Governor Byrne, CEO of the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics at Rutgers University. Her skills as advisor, program developer, gracious host, and intrepid traveler made her family’s successes possible. Terry is survived by her husband of 61 years, Robert E. Mulcahy III of Basking Ridge. She is also survived by seven children, Cathleen, Bob, Matthew, Kevin, Muffy, Megan, and Deidre and fifteen grandchildren, Nicholas, Matthew, Alaine, Connor, Tyler, Abigail, Emily, Owen, Katie, Bobby, Drew, Mia, Brady, Annabelle and Emma Grace. She is also survived by her twin brother, Jerry McGrath (Carol) and many cousins, nieces and nephews. A wake will be held Tuesday, May 4 from 4-7pm at Saint James Roman Catholic Church, 184 South Finley Avenue, Basking Ridge. The funeral mass will be celebrated Wednesday, May 5 at 10am also at Saint James Roman Catholic Church. The burial will be private. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations to the Georgian Court University Angel Fund for Student Emergency Needs in Terry’s memory. https://alumni.georgian.edu/give-now and selecting the Angel Fund or mail donations directly to Georgian Court University Office of Institutional Advancement, 900 Lakewood Avenue, Lakewood, NJ 08701-2697.