1928
Dolores
2022
Dolores Jean (Mulkeen) Belliveau
February 5, 1928 — May 12, 2022
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Jean’s name to any of the following: The Hundred Club of Massachusetts, Fitchburg Fire (with memo for “Memorial Sunday”), Massachusetts General Hospital, St. Jude’s Hospital, Boston Children’s Hospital or Shriner’s Hospital.
Calling hours will be held on Sunday, May 22, in Brandon Funeral Home, 305 Wanoosnoc Rd., Fitchburg from 4-7pm. The funeral Mass will be held on Monday, May 23 in Saint Bernard’s Parish at Saint Camillus Church, 333 Mechanic St., Fitchburg at 10:00am. Burial will follow in Saint Bernard’s Cemetery.
At 94 years young, Jean passed away at MGH on May 12, 2022 from complications of congestive heart failure, surrounded by her family.
Born February 5, 1928 in Grafton, West Virginia to Francis J. and Frances D. (Pendergast) Mulkeen. She attended kindergarten and first grade in Sarnia, Ontario before her family moved to Fitchburg. Jean was a 1945 graduate of St. Bernard’s High School and a 1948 graduate of St. Vincent Hospital School of Nursing in Worcester MA. She wed James V. Belliveau on September 30, 1950 and began a family together. She worked at St. Vincent’s and at Lucy Helen Hospital/Burbank Hospital as a maternity nurse before leaving to raise their five children full-time. She was widowed at 39 years old when Jim, a Captain on the Fitchburg Fire Department, died in the line of duty on December 10, 1967. Their children were ages 4 through 16 at the time. The incredible support of the community, but especially her family and close friends, including “Next to Family”, got her through.
Jean later returned to nursing as the school nurse at Stevens Business College (Franklin Pierce College) when it was located in Fitchburg, and then performed intake/physical examinations for Savings Bank Life Insurance. When she retired she learned to play golf, enjoying the sport for many years, and pursued her passion for art, eventually focusing her talents in watercolor and pastels. Her family and friends always looked forward to receiving her hand-painted cards for the various holidays. She continued her artwork up until the last few months of her life. She indulged her love of learning through Fitchburg State University’s Alpha program and challenged her mental acuity with Sudoku puzzles. And she was a fierce cribbage player! She established lasting friendships with everything she did and these friendships brought her more joy than the pursuits themselves.
Jean was a member of St. Bernard’s Parish at St. Camillus de Lellis Church, the Fitchburg Art Museum, the Leominster Art Association, the Laurelwood Garden Club, the Friends of Coggshall, the 100 Club of Massachusetts, and St. Vincent Hospital Alumna.
Jean moved to an independent senior living facility in Falmouth in 2019. Her resilience, strength and ability to connect with others sets a standard for all of us.
Jean leaves five children: James J. (Judy St. Jean) of Fitchburg, Stephen J. “Jay” (Susan Quigley) of Mashpee, Judith M. of East Falmouth, Brian F. (Linda Holmes) of Cataumet, and Maura A. of Brooklyn, NY. She also leaves six grandchildren, Bridget and Carly Belliveau, Patrick and Tim Belliveau, Jennifer DeLuca and Brian (Kate Manning) Smith; her niece Patty Mulkeen Remoy and nephew Kieran Cloonan, and several Garlick and Sweeney nieces and nephews; cousins John O’Sullivan and Mary Ellen (O’Sullivan) Delaney, and Christina (Sheehan) Kammerer and Jamie Sheehan; her great-grandchildren Cassie, Aly and Evie Smith for whom she was “Gigi”; and Kay Mulkeen, surviving spouse of her brother Jack. She was preceded in death by her parents, her cherished sister, Rita C. (Mulkeen) Cloonan and her husband Joseph, her brother John F. “Jack” Mulkeen and his wife Joanne (Casey); her cousins, Marie, Ann and John Costello and Mary Clare (Mulkeen) O’Sullivan and Lois (Mulkeen) Sheehan; and her dearest friend of 70 years, Mary Curran.
The family expresses its heartfelt thanks to Dr. Timothy Guiney and Dr. Patricia Gibbons for their extraordinary care and support, allowing Mom to live a full and independent life, earning the moniker “the Energizer Bunny”! Many thanks also to the terrific staff of Ellison 12 at Massachusetts General Hospital.
Calling hours will be held on Sunday, May 22, in Brandon Funeral Home, 305 Wanoosnoc Rd., Fitchburg from 4-7pm. The funeral Mass will be held on Monday, May 23 in Saint Bernard’s Parish at Saint Camillus Church, 333 Mechanic St., Fitchburg at 10:00am. Burial will follow in Saint Bernard’s Cemetery.
At 94 years young, Jean passed away at MGH on May 12, 2022 from complications of congestive heart failure, surrounded by her family.
Born February 5, 1928 in Grafton, West Virginia to Francis J. and Frances D. (Pendergast) Mulkeen. She attended kindergarten and first grade in Sarnia, Ontario before her family moved to Fitchburg. Jean was a 1945 graduate of St. Bernard’s High School and a 1948 graduate of St. Vincent Hospital School of Nursing in Worcester MA. She wed James V. Belliveau on September 30, 1950 and began a family together. She worked at St. Vincent’s and at Lucy Helen Hospital/Burbank Hospital as a maternity nurse before leaving to raise their five children full-time. She was widowed at 39 years old when Jim, a Captain on the Fitchburg Fire Department, died in the line of duty on December 10, 1967. Their children were ages 4 through 16 at the time. The incredible support of the community, but especially her family and close friends, including “Next to Family”, got her through.
Jean later returned to nursing as the school nurse at Stevens Business College (Franklin Pierce College) when it was located in Fitchburg, and then performed intake/physical examinations for Savings Bank Life Insurance. When she retired she learned to play golf, enjoying the sport for many years, and pursued her passion for art, eventually focusing her talents in watercolor and pastels. Her family and friends always looked forward to receiving her hand-painted cards for the various holidays. She continued her artwork up until the last few months of her life. She indulged her love of learning through Fitchburg State University’s Alpha program and challenged her mental acuity with Sudoku puzzles. And she was a fierce cribbage player! She established lasting friendships with everything she did and these friendships brought her more joy than the pursuits themselves.
Jean was a member of St. Bernard’s Parish at St. Camillus de Lellis Church, the Fitchburg Art Museum, the Leominster Art Association, the Laurelwood Garden Club, the Friends of Coggshall, the 100 Club of Massachusetts, and St. Vincent Hospital Alumna.
Jean moved to an independent senior living facility in Falmouth in 2019. Her resilience, strength and ability to connect with others sets a standard for all of us.
Jean leaves five children: James J. (Judy St. Jean) of Fitchburg, Stephen J. “Jay” (Susan Quigley) of Mashpee, Judith M. of East Falmouth, Brian F. (Linda Holmes) of Cataumet, and Maura A. of Brooklyn, NY. She also leaves six grandchildren, Bridget and Carly Belliveau, Patrick and Tim Belliveau, Jennifer DeLuca and Brian (Kate Manning) Smith; her niece Patty Mulkeen Remoy and nephew Kieran Cloonan, and several Garlick and Sweeney nieces and nephews; cousins John O’Sullivan and Mary Ellen (O’Sullivan) Delaney, and Christina (Sheehan) Kammerer and Jamie Sheehan; her great-grandchildren Cassie, Aly and Evie Smith for whom she was “Gigi”; and Kay Mulkeen, surviving spouse of her brother Jack. She was preceded in death by her parents, her cherished sister, Rita C. (Mulkeen) Cloonan and her husband Joseph, her brother John F. “Jack” Mulkeen and his wife Joanne (Casey); her cousins, Marie, Ann and John Costello and Mary Clare (Mulkeen) O’Sullivan and Lois (Mulkeen) Sheehan; and her dearest friend of 70 years, Mary Curran.
The family expresses its heartfelt thanks to Dr. Timothy Guiney and Dr. Patricia Gibbons for their extraordinary care and support, allowing Mom to live a full and independent life, earning the moniker “the Energizer Bunny”! Many thanks also to the terrific staff of Ellison 12 at Massachusetts General Hospital.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Dolores Jean (Mulkeen) Belliveau, please visit our flower store.
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