Maurice MULHERN

MULHERN, Maurice Patrick
July 14, 1927 - March 26, 2016
Maury's family is saddened to announce his death in the early hours of March 26, 2016. He walked down the long and bumpy road of Alzeimers' disease with strength and humour.
Dad was born to Mary and Edward. The oldest of five children, his parents and siblings Brian, Leo, Kevin and Maureen pre-decease him. He was a true Vancouver boy having been schooled at Little Flower Academy, and Vancouver College (class of 1946). After the death of his father, Maury operated the Patricia Hotel and then the Eldorado Hotel. He retired from the Hotel business in 1989.
Maury was blessed to have two loves in his life. First wife Evangeline who he married in 1954 (pre-deceased) and Florence who became his bride in 1989. Maury and Florence retired together and traveled the world.
Maury loved his grandchildren dearly. A man who could wrangle professional football players and towering basketball players could also play with little ones. He was their biggest cheerleader when it came to their sports activities which included soccer, basketball, softball and swimming.
People associate Maury with his time as an official and supervisor with the CFL, spending 16 years on the field of play and 10 years behind the scenes. He appeared in numerous playoff games and 5 Grey Cup games. He was a gifted basketball player and referee as well. In 1945 he was named the first ever BC Provincial Boys Basketball MVP. He played in a semipro league for the Vancouver Cloverleafs in the 1950s. He then refereed high school and university level basketball throughout the 1960s and 70s. He travelled to Cali, Columbia in 1973 to referee at the Pan Am Games. He was also asked to work at the 1976 Olympics but had to decline due to a conflict with his CFL duties.
He was a member of the Knights of Columbus (4th degree Knight) and a member of the Vancouver College Alumni Association and Hall of Fame and could be often found fundraising for OLPH and Vancouver College.
Maury is survived by and will forever be missed by his wife Florence, children Brian, Rory (Fiona), Tom (Erin), Colleen (Ken). Florence's children Kim (Tracey), Barbara, Liz (John), Robbie (Sarah) and Peter (Sally), fourteen grandchildren, four great grandchildren, many nieces and nephews and sister-in-law Theresa.
The family would like to thank South Granville Park Lodge, Youville, Parkview, 3 Links Care Society and Evergreen Nursing Services for their care and support.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Alzheimer's Society.
There will be a celebration of life and funeral mass for Maury at Our Lady of Perpetual Help, 2465 Crown St, Vancouver on April 9, 2016 at 11am with a reception to follow at Point Grey Golf Course, 3350 S.W. Marine Drive, Vancouver.