Obituary of John Wallace Mulvenna

John Wallace Mulvenna of Belvidere, NJ passed away peacefully at home surrounded by his family on June 20, 2020. He was 84. John was born on June 30, 1935 in Kearny, NJ to the late Charles and Alice (Wallace) Mulvenna, both originally from Scotland. The Mulvenna family moved back to Scotland when John was a young boy. He grew up and was educated in Glasgow. John returned to NJ after high school and served proudly in the United States Navy for 4 years aboard the USS Lake Champlain (CV-39) aircraft carrier. In his twenties, John embarked on a solo cross-country adventure in his Volkswagen Camper Van in which he visited more national parks in the U.S. and Canada than most people get to see in a lifetime. In 1973, John married his soulmate, Lorraine (Nelson) Mulvenna. John was employed as an Operations Manager for more than 25 years with Mayflower and Global Moving companies until his retirement in 2002. John was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Washington, NJ where he served as a Eucharistic Minister. John was also an active member of the Traffic Club of Newark and the American Legion Post 131 in Belvidere, NJ. Growing up in Scotland, John developed a lifelong love of golf at a young age. He also enjoyed woodworking and collecting rare coins. John was a descendent of William Wallace, the late-13th century Scottish warrior depicted in the 1995 film Braveheart. John was both brave, as evidenced by his courageous battle with lung cancer, and he had a huge heart as all who knew him would agree. John cherished the time he spent with his family, especially his three granddaughters who adored him. He was as devoted of a father and grandfather as anyone has ever known. He lived his life to the fullest and became legendary for doing "cannonballs" into the pool with his granddaughters while celebrating his 80th birthday. He will be remembered for his eternal optimism, greeting everyone he encountered with a smile, his seemingly unlimited supply of stories and jokes, and for the selfless way in which he cared about others. In addition to Lorraine, his loving wife of 46 years, John is survived by his two daughters, Kathleen Byrne (Dan) and Meghan Mulvenna; his granddaughters, Kate, Emily and Caroline Byrne; and many nieces and nephews. John was preceded in death by a sister, Jane Marshall; Brothers, Joseph, John Gabriel, James, and Charles; and lifelong friends, Ed and Eileen Fahy, whom he considered family. Memorial services will be celebrated privately. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in John's name to Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice, 99 Sparta Drive, Newton, NJ 07860, www.karenannquinlanhospice.org Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the Warren Hills Memorial Home. To send an on-line condolence please visit www.warrenhillsmemorialhome.com