Timothy John McNulty

Timothy John McNulty, 54, died July 5 at his home on the North Side of Pittsburgh. He is survived by his wife, Jennifer Zieserl McNulty, and daughter, Lillian Elise; his mother, Priscilla (Kitsy) Dibble McNulty; his sister and brother-in-law, Becky and Tim Randall, and nieces, Grace and Quinn Randall. His father, the Rev. Arthur F. McNulty Jr., died in 1994 at age 53. Diagnosed with cancer in 2016, Tim lived and worked through years of treatment with equanimity, enduring chemotherapy, radiation, and multiple surgeries with his distinct humor intact.

Tim was born in 1969 in Gettysburg. The family lived in St. Louis before coming to Pittsburgh in 1985, when his father became rector of Calvary Episcopal Church. Tim graduated from Shady Side Academy in 1987 and Trinity College in 1991 with degrees in philosophy and history. After earning a master's from the New York University School of Journalism in 1994, he worked in the Washington Bureau of The New York Times as a research assistant to columnist Maureen Dowd. In 1996, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette hired him as a police reporter. During 18 years at the newspaper, Tim distinguished himself as a versatile and elegant writer, from daily reporting to feature stories and personal essays, with his chief expertise in local politics. In 2014, he joined the administration of Mayor Bill Peduto as director of communications. He served the city with distinction, overseeing daily news releases, strategic planning and national media relations. In 2021, Tim took on a similar role with the Pittsburgh Penguins as vice president of public affairs.

Memorial donations may be made to The Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation: pittsburghpenguinsfoundation.org, or Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank: give.pittsburghfoodbank.org. The family will hold a private service.