Grace Conroy Mulvihill

Grace Conroy Mulvihill took her final curtain call on Monday, March 16th. Yet, her show will go on through her six daughters and eighteen grandchildren who adored her. Grace was a wife, mother, sister, friend, lawyer, artist, dancer, actress, writer, tennis player, bowler, and devout Catholic.

Grace was born in the Bronx, a proud New Yorker, and graduate of the Bronx High School of Science. In 1952, she headed off to Smith College and she spent the next four years in the bucolic Berkshires. As graduation approached, and she contemplated her future, a career counselor told her she should take a good secretarial course. Never one to take the predictable road, Grace decided law school would be more appropriate. Following graduation from Fordham Law School in 1959 as one of three female students, she was offered a position as an associate with Cahill Gordon & Reindel in New York. As fate would have it, the young female attorney was assigned to an office with a handsome young male attorney and the rest was history. Grace and Donald were married in November of 1961. A year later, their first daughter arrived to be followed by five more daughters in the next ten years.

Grace decided her corporate ladder would be replaced by carpools, book reports, early morning swim practices and birthday parties. Over the years Grace would sometimes joke she was on a 50 year maternity leave. She could have used her sharp intellect and persuasive skills to win an argument at any law firm - but she chose to share these gifts with her daughters instead. Grace made her girls feel like a passionate discussion at the dinner table beat a Second Circuit argument any day and for that they will be eternally grateful.

Once the girls were out of the house, Grace combined her legal expertise and passion for helping others by volunteering for Catholic Charities doing asylum cases for refugees. This work provided much satisfaction and enabled Grace to affirm her commitment to human rights and equity for all.

If you told Grace she could play a song, she would produce, direct and perform in a musical complete with costumes and dancing girls. With Grace, a gathering to toast the new millennium became an orchestrated ode to the centuries; an affair with friends and family dressed as Leif Erikson and Marie Antoinette. A summer barbeque quickly became a thoughtfully plotted murder mystery with dialogue and casting decisions made months in advance. Grace was the ultimate hostess, producer, reveler and thespian. When you were with Grace, you were at the best party!

Grace and Don loved to travel, taking their girls on memorable adventures, often to their favorite resort in Virginia and later to their home in St. Michaels, Maryland. As the girls grew up and started their own families, Grace became an enthusiastic cheerleader to the next generation. She created a fabulous and fun home with hours spent around the piano, dancing on the disco floor, or in the garden she so lovingly tended to, often with a grandchild, or two or three, at her side. Grace would hold court as she prepared massive meals, daring anyone to beat her in a game of Trivial Pursuit. Many of us tried, no one ever succeeded.

Grace’s girls and grandchildren will miss Sunday afternoons spent watching her complete The New York Times crossword puzzle, trying to cheer on the Redskins with her; hours of watching tennis as Grace gave her play-by-play and thoughts on favorite players, and more recently, her enthusiasm for the Maryland Terps. Grace treasured her Wednesday nights with “the Ladies” and their friendship meant the world to her. Grace is forever indebted to Marlene Sampson, her friend and confidante of over 50 years.

Grace lost her dear Don in 2007. She is survived by her daughters, Eve Mulvihill Whiteley (Andrew) of Raleigh, NC; Elizabeth Mulvihill Reynolds (Kevin) of West Hartford, CT; Grace Mulvihill Miller of Maplewood, NJ; Donna Mulvihill Fehrmann (James) of Bethesda, MD; Andrea Mulvihill Beane (Jim) of Potomac, MD and Catherine Mulvihill Condell (Ray) also of Potomac, MD. A son, Donald John, Jr. died in 1967. Grace was also predeceased by her parents, John F. and Grace K. Conroy, a sister, Margaret C. Martin a brother, John F. Conroy, and a son in law, Robert J. Miller.

Grace and Grace’s family would like to thank Saudiah, Marie, Lilian and Janet of Assisting Hands of Potomac and Donna Damico for their kindness, support and friendship.

There will be a private Mass and burial. A Mass and Jubilant Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.