Rachel Ann Mulligan, age 84 years, of Readington Township, NJ, longtime resident of Mendham, NJ, died peacefully on Thursday, June 27, 2024, at Penn Medicine/Princeton Medical Center, Plainsboro Township, NJ.

Known to many as Ray, she was born on May 30, 1940. Growing up in Brooklyn, NY, Rachel loved to tell stories about her home in Flatbush where she and her parents shared a split level home with her aunt, uncle and cousins. She loved to tell countless stories about her life in Brooklyn, including how she met her husband, Jim. She and Jim would eventually move out of Brooklyn and call several other places home. Moving to Chatham, NJ, to Rochester, NY, and then to Berkeley Heights, NJ, Rachel and Jim would eventually settle into their dream home in Chester, NJ, where they raised their four children, Helen, Gerard, Jamie and Christine.

Rachel loved Christmas with her family, and for years she hosted Christmas Eve in her Chester, NJ, home. She would spend days cooking for the people she loved, and for many years, the family would look forward to fresh lobster tails, homemade fish cakes, and stuffed mushrooms, just to name a few of her specialties. All of Rachel’s children have spent years trying to deconstruct Rachel’s meatball recipe, but no matter what, they just never taste the same.

After raising her children, Rachel returned to the workforce, spending her time as an interior designer and later as a secretary for a stockbroker firm. In the years following, Rachel worked as an Administrative Assistant for Turpin Realtors. She took her role in the real estate world seriously both at work and beyond. Whenever one of her children started house-hunting, you could be certain that Rachel would be prepared with all of the listings and comps, ready to support her children as they took that huge next step towards becoming homeowners.

As Rachel’s children grew up, got married, and started to have children, she lovingly took on a new role as Grams. Rachel was a loving grandmother to Bryan, Ryan, Lauren, Sarah, and Amanda. She attended countless dance recitals, sporting events, birthday parties, and graduations, always beaming with pride over her grandchildren’s talents and accomplishments. Whether spending time on the beach in LBI or Delaware or exploring Key West or Caribbean islands, Rachel also loved to experience vacations through the eyes of her grandchildren. Rachel also played the role of “Grandma Cookies” to her granddogs, Pebbles, Murphy, Clarence, Addy and Stanley. Over the years, she perfected the art of sneaking treats under the table and professing her innocence when caught doing it. Although Rachel adored her grandchildren and granddogs, one of the greatest loves of her life was her own labrador retriever, Bailey. To say that Bailey was spoiled would be a staggering understatement, but he brought Rachel so much joy. 

Rachel also loved her flowers. She had quite the green thumb, and she looked forward to the spring each year when she could fill her deck with colorful blooms. Her deck was also a common meeting place for birds, squirrels and other assorted wildlife. It was not uncommon to find the railings of Rachel’s deck lined with bread, and she loved to sit on the deck, reading her paper and welcoming her visitors.  

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, James Mulligan, and her two cherished daughters, Helen and Christine Mulligan, who were surely there to welcome her to her heavenly home.

Surviving are her sons and daughters-in-law who Rachel considered as daughters, Gerard and Kim Mulligan and Jamie and Candy Mulligan; her grandchildren, Bryan, Ryan, Lauren, Sarah, and Amanda; several extended family members; and many dear friends.

Rachel will lie in repose on Tuesday, July 9, 2024, from 4:30-7:00 p.m. in the Chapel of Wright & Ford Family Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 38 State Highway 31, Flemington, NJ.

A Mass of Christian Burial will take place on Wednesday, July 10, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Roman Catholic Church, 105 Summer Road, Three Bridges, NJ 08887. Everyone is kindly requested to meet directly at the church on Wednesday at 10:45 a.m.

Burial will follow at Pleasant Hill Cemetery, 85 Pleasant Hill Road, Chester, NJ, 07930, and to which all are welcome.

All arrangements are under the care and direction of Wright & Ford Family Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 38 State Highway 31, Flemington, NJ.

You are encouraged to visit Rachel’s permanent life celebration site at www.wrightfamily.com to leave messages of condolence, share words of comfort and recollection, and post photographs of her life.

Donations in Rachel’s memory may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, 225 N. Michigan Ave., Fl. 17, Chicago, IL 60601 or online by clicking HERE.

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Wright & Ford, your local, family owned & operated “Life Celebration Home”

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