Obituary for Elizabeth A. Mulvihill (Kennedy)
Elizabeth Anne Kennedy Mulvihill
Born February 5, 1941 Park Slope, Brooklyn
Died January 24, 2023 San Francisco, California
Elizabeth Anne Kennedy Mulvihill (known to relatives as Bettse Anne and to friends as Liz) is survived by her daughters Elizabeth Seirmarco and Maryanne Cattaneo, son-in-law Jay Seirmarco, granddaughters Sofia and Julietta Seirmarco, and siblings John L. Mulvihill and Kathy Billian. Elizabeth is predeceased by her husband, Raymond Lopez, and parents Elizabeth Margaret Kennedy Mulvihill and John Vincent Mulvihill.
Elizabeth grew up in Park Slope, Brooklyn, near her beloved grandmother Anna Mary Collins and many close relatives. Like many post-world war families, Elizabeth moved with her parents and brother to East Meadow, Long Island when she was 11 years old. Elizabeth always yearned to return to Brooklyn. Elizabeth was deeply devoted to her family, especially her Kennedy angels.
As an industrious young adult, Elizabeth worked in a local bakery while attending St. John’s University, and graduated a year early with her bachelor’s degree. She earned her masters from Hofstra University and PhD from NYU while raising daughters Elizabeth and Maryanne.
Elizabeth was passionate about travel, language, art and culture. She loved her Raleigh touring bicycle, which accompanied her throughout Europe in 1963. Elizabeth and her daughters rode their bikes to and from Cedar Beach and along the Long Island Sound. In her later years, Elizabeth rode the Raleigh throughout Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
Her hobbies included photography and dance lessons as an adult – ballet, modern, tango and waltz. She enjoyed horseback riding, gardening, playing her vintage player piano, and celebrating with her cousins and friends. They’d joyfully pump the pedals of the antique player piano while singing along to Broadway show tunes.
Elizabeth started her career as a teacher at St. Joseph’s School and served in various roles at Suffolk County BOCES (Board of Cooperative Educational Services). She retired as school principal for middle school students with special needs. Shattering glass ceilings, she was among the first female school principals in the history of BOCES. A highlight of her BOCES tenure was when she led a bus full of students to Albany, New York for a visit with Governor Mario Cuomo in 1983. After retirement, Elizabeth continued her passion for education by teaching adults English as a second language and mentoring student-teachers.
Elizabeth volunteered with the Special Olympics and Open House New York. Additionally, she routinely made calls with phone-banks in swing state races. Elizabeth loved classical music and the NYC Ballet. She was a member of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Brooklyn Museum, the Guggenheim and the National Arts Club in Gramercy Park.
Endlessly curious about the world and politics, she supported WNYC (favorite journalists: Tavis Smiley and Alison Stewart) and Channel THIRTEEN PBS (“The Roadshow”, American Masters and Great Performances). Elizabeth loved reading the NY Times (favorite columnists: Nicholas Kristof, Paul Krugman and Maureen Dowd).
Elizabeth was a true fashionista. She searched for pieces at vintage stores, consignment shops and flea markets. Bonwit Teller and Lord & Taylor were her favorite department stores. Her fashion was influenced by her Aunt Rhoda “Eileen,” who was her contemporary and idol. Elizabeth wore statement hats, colorful silk scarves, big jewelry, and Ferragamo shoes.
In the early 1980s, she brought her mom, Elizabeth Margaret Kennedy Mulvihill, and her daughters, Elizabeth and Maryanne, to Ireland and England, where she served as an exchange school principal. In Ireland, she tirelessly traced her family’s ancestry while adventuring through castles among the verdant countryside.
A lifelong traveler, she circumnavigated the world with her late husband Ray. They visited several continents and logged their year-long journey.
Elizabeth loved Spain. In the late 1980s, she and Ray brought her mother-in-law, Jesusa Lopez, back to her childhood home in the port city of Vigo, Spain. After Ray’s passing, Elizabeth brought her daughters and granddaughters all over Spain – to Vigo, Madrid, Barcelona, and El Camino Santiago de Compostela. This experience allowed them to see the fig trees Ray climbed as a child, where Ray attended school and where his ancestors were buried.
Elizabeth visited San Francisco often. She treasured being a grandmama and often brought Sofia and Julietta to the SF Zoo, SF Ballet, SF Symphony, SFMOMA, Botanical Gardens, Mission Dolores Church, walking tours of SF and to the SF Public Library to obtain their first library cards, instilling a love of reading.
Elizabeth loved exploring and photographing the City by the Bay. She enjoyed visiting the Pacific Ocean, Golden Gate Park, cathedrals, churches, museums, restaurants, outdoor events and concerts. Elizabeth embodied joie de vie and practiced yoga regularly in the temple at the Integral Yoga Institute San Francisco. She even zoomed bhakti flow from the East and West coasts with SF’s renowned Rusty Wells.
Sadly, Elizabeth was diagnosed with cancer in 2018. She was an enthusiastic participant in a clinical study at UCSF where the findings would further science. Elizabeth is now reunited with her beloved Ray, parents, aunts, uncles and cousins.
Standing on the shoulders of giants, Elizabeth’s remarkable life completed a full circle. A mass will take place on Thursday, February 2 at 10:30 am at her childhood church, St. Francis Xavier, at 225 6th Avenue in Brooklyn, followed by a mass at Holy Cross Cemetery at 3620 Tilden Avenue. A Glorious Tree Grows in Brooklyn.
The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to New York Public Radio (WNYC), THIRTEEN NY (PBS) or the Integral Yoga Institute San Francisco
In lieu of flowers:
I just supported NY Public Radio
Become a THIRTEEN Sustainer Today!-Support THIRTEEN
Generosity | Donate to IYSF | Integral Yoga San Francisco
Born February 5, 1941 Park Slope, Brooklyn
Died January 24, 2023 San Francisco, California
Elizabeth Anne Kennedy Mulvihill (known to relatives as Bettse Anne and to friends as Liz) is survived by her daughters Elizabeth Seirmarco and Maryanne Cattaneo, son-in-law Jay Seirmarco, granddaughters Sofia and Julietta Seirmarco, and siblings John L. Mulvihill and Kathy Billian. Elizabeth is predeceased by her husband, Raymond Lopez, and parents Elizabeth Margaret Kennedy Mulvihill and John Vincent Mulvihill.
Elizabeth grew up in Park Slope, Brooklyn, near her beloved grandmother Anna Mary Collins and many close relatives. Like many post-world war families, Elizabeth moved with her parents and brother to East Meadow, Long Island when she was 11 years old. Elizabeth always yearned to return to Brooklyn. Elizabeth was deeply devoted to her family, especially her Kennedy angels.
As an industrious young adult, Elizabeth worked in a local bakery while attending St. John’s University, and graduated a year early with her bachelor’s degree. She earned her masters from Hofstra University and PhD from NYU while raising daughters Elizabeth and Maryanne.
Elizabeth was passionate about travel, language, art and culture. She loved her Raleigh touring bicycle, which accompanied her throughout Europe in 1963. Elizabeth and her daughters rode their bikes to and from Cedar Beach and along the Long Island Sound. In her later years, Elizabeth rode the Raleigh throughout Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
Her hobbies included photography and dance lessons as an adult – ballet, modern, tango and waltz. She enjoyed horseback riding, gardening, playing her vintage player piano, and celebrating with her cousins and friends. They’d joyfully pump the pedals of the antique player piano while singing along to Broadway show tunes.
Elizabeth started her career as a teacher at St. Joseph’s School and served in various roles at Suffolk County BOCES (Board of Cooperative Educational Services). She retired as school principal for middle school students with special needs. Shattering glass ceilings, she was among the first female school principals in the history of BOCES. A highlight of her BOCES tenure was when she led a bus full of students to Albany, New York for a visit with Governor Mario Cuomo in 1983. After retirement, Elizabeth continued her passion for education by teaching adults English as a second language and mentoring student-teachers.
Elizabeth volunteered with the Special Olympics and Open House New York. Additionally, she routinely made calls with phone-banks in swing state races. Elizabeth loved classical music and the NYC Ballet. She was a member of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Brooklyn Museum, the Guggenheim and the National Arts Club in Gramercy Park.
Endlessly curious about the world and politics, she supported WNYC (favorite journalists: Tavis Smiley and Alison Stewart) and Channel THIRTEEN PBS (“The Roadshow”, American Masters and Great Performances). Elizabeth loved reading the NY Times (favorite columnists: Nicholas Kristof, Paul Krugman and Maureen Dowd).
Elizabeth was a true fashionista. She searched for pieces at vintage stores, consignment shops and flea markets. Bonwit Teller and Lord & Taylor were her favorite department stores. Her fashion was influenced by her Aunt Rhoda “Eileen,” who was her contemporary and idol. Elizabeth wore statement hats, colorful silk scarves, big jewelry, and Ferragamo shoes.
In the early 1980s, she brought her mom, Elizabeth Margaret Kennedy Mulvihill, and her daughters, Elizabeth and Maryanne, to Ireland and England, where she served as an exchange school principal. In Ireland, she tirelessly traced her family’s ancestry while adventuring through castles among the verdant countryside.
A lifelong traveler, she circumnavigated the world with her late husband Ray. They visited several continents and logged their year-long journey.
Elizabeth loved Spain. In the late 1980s, she and Ray brought her mother-in-law, Jesusa Lopez, back to her childhood home in the port city of Vigo, Spain. After Ray’s passing, Elizabeth brought her daughters and granddaughters all over Spain – to Vigo, Madrid, Barcelona, and El Camino Santiago de Compostela. This experience allowed them to see the fig trees Ray climbed as a child, where Ray attended school and where his ancestors were buried.
Elizabeth visited San Francisco often. She treasured being a grandmama and often brought Sofia and Julietta to the SF Zoo, SF Ballet, SF Symphony, SFMOMA, Botanical Gardens, Mission Dolores Church, walking tours of SF and to the SF Public Library to obtain their first library cards, instilling a love of reading.
Elizabeth loved exploring and photographing the City by the Bay. She enjoyed visiting the Pacific Ocean, Golden Gate Park, cathedrals, churches, museums, restaurants, outdoor events and concerts. Elizabeth embodied joie de vie and practiced yoga regularly in the temple at the Integral Yoga Institute San Francisco. She even zoomed bhakti flow from the East and West coasts with SF’s renowned Rusty Wells.
Sadly, Elizabeth was diagnosed with cancer in 2018. She was an enthusiastic participant in a clinical study at UCSF where the findings would further science. Elizabeth is now reunited with her beloved Ray, parents, aunts, uncles and cousins.
Standing on the shoulders of giants, Elizabeth’s remarkable life completed a full circle. A mass will take place on Thursday, February 2 at 10:30 am at her childhood church, St. Francis Xavier, at 225 6th Avenue in Brooklyn, followed by a mass at Holy Cross Cemetery at 3620 Tilden Avenue. A Glorious Tree Grows in Brooklyn.
The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to New York Public Radio (WNYC), THIRTEEN NY (PBS) or the Integral Yoga Institute San Francisco
In lieu of flowers:
I just supported NY Public Radio
Become a THIRTEEN Sustainer Today!-Support THIRTEEN
Generosity | Donate to IYSF | Integral Yoga San Francisco