Mary Lynn Mulvaney

Mary Mulvaney was born on September 25, 1946, in Cleveland, Ohio, to Gifford and Helen Glasscock. The family, including her 2 brothers, Greg and Bruce, and 1 sister, Susan, ended up settling in Arcadia, California, where she graduated from Alverno High School as the Valedictorian with a 4-year scholarship to Mount St. Mary’s College in Los  Angeles, CA.

After graduating at the top of her class from Mount St. Mary’s College with a Bachelor’s in Nursing, Mary soon moved to Phoenix, Arizona, and married Ray Korte in 1969, having 2 children, Julie and Raymond Korte, whom she gave unending affection to. 

Mary’s passion for serving others in nursing led her around the world. After starting her career at Good Samaritan Hospital, she was promoted to be the Head Nurse of the Neurology Unit. She took pride in her relationships with patients, and practiced and taught compassionate bed-side manner. As her career developed, she became interested in and was given a position in the Quality Assurance Department at Good Samaritan.  After years of experience she became a consultant in Quality Resource Management (QRM).  She would travel to hospitals throughout the US and many different countries. This QRM training and development helped the hospitals and their medical staff ensure that quality care was being provided to their patients. 

Through nursing, Mary met her life partner and best friend Donald Mulvaney, MD. They married in Estes Park, Colorado, in 1987 and lived together happily until her passing on January 22, 2024. Mary and Don shared a love of their family, prayerful and devout Catholic faith, a passion for traveling the world, infectious smiles and senses of humor, and a cup of coffee at their comfy spot every morning.  

Mendocino, CA, provided a second home for time away from Phoenix. As they got older, Mary and Don loved taking their grandsons Alex and Evan on adventures around the country, ranging from riding snowmobiles in Durango, Colorado, and swimming “with sharks” in Las Vegas, to morning walks by the misty cliffs in Mendocino.  

Mary embodied her Catholic faith in the unwavering kindness and compassion that she shared with others every single day. All were friends without judgment. Prayer played a huge role throughout her life. She practiced contemplative prayer and regularly participated in local prayer groups. Her mantra in getting through problems in life including her illness was: Accept…..,Surrender….. Adapt!

When she wasn’t with friends or family, taking her daily hour nap, or out fueling her Starbucks addiction, you could find Mary working on mosaic artwork in the gazebo out in the backyard. With a pair of pliers, a tub of grout, and a variety of decorative plates that she amassed on her travels, Mary would smash, glue, then piece together beautifully stunning and ornate pieces that ranged from picture frames to mirrors, lamps, tripping stones, and even large tables. Her pique assiette (stolen plate) mosaics were her favorite gifts to give on birthdays and holidays, and friends and family were always delighted to receive one because of the clear love and thoughtful care that she put into each piece. 

As a mother, grandmother, wife, sister, aunt, friend, and STRANGER, Mary greeted everybody with a smile and a zealous demeanor with endless optimism. Every single time that Mary went out and about, one fact was certain: she was going to make a meaningful connection with somebody. Regardless of how a person looked or spoke, and much to the chagrin of the growing drive-thru line at Starbucks, Mary would make conversation or perform some small act of kindness with or for someone new everywhere she went. Her prayer to herself was: “Lord Make me a Joyful and Loving Presence.”

Mary is survived by her husband Donald Mulvaney, 2 children, Julie Korte and Raymond Korte, 3 siblings, Susan Stevens, Greg Glasscock, and Bruce Glasscock, 2 grandsons, Alex Henderson and Evan Henderson, and 5 nieces and nephews and 2 great nephews.

Mary died peacefully at home with family after battling ALS for less than a year..  Although she is now with our Lord, her random acts of kindness, smile and genuine love for others, lives on in those that had the fortune to know her.

A Funeral Mass will be held on Friday, February 9, 2024 at 10:30 A.M. at the CASA - Franciscan Renewal Center, 5802 E. Lincoln Dr., Scottsdale, AZ 85253. In lieu of flowers, Donations to the Arizona Chapter of ALS would be preferred.