Obituary: Jeanne Mullaney Of Brewster Heights

from the Beecher Funeral Home

Jeanne Mullaney of Brewster, New York passed away on October 24, 2023, at the age of eighty-five.

“JB” as she was frequently called, was born Jeanne Irene Belleau on May 24,1938 in Knickerbocker Hospital in Manhattan to Simone and Narcisse Belleau. She was the youngest of a family that included sisters Theresa and Lucille and brother Joseph. The family lived in an apartment house in “Hell’s Kitchen” on the west side of Manhattan. Jeanne went to Holy Cross Grammar School on West 43rd Street and Saint Alphonse High School on Thompson Street. Her family lived in a “railroad flat” on Ninth Avenue and West 46th Street - the heart of the kitchen. JB regularly spoke of her happy childhood in the neighborhood with her wonderful family and incredible friends that would last a lifetime. As kids, the playground on 46th between, 9th and 10th Avenues was their home base where they jumped rope (double Dutch), played potsy, rode their swings up to the sky and darted in and out of the sprinklers. On the way home from the park, they ran under the open Johnny Pump, got soaked, and laughed all the way home. On a sunny day there was a good spot for JB and her friends to get a tan without even leaving their flat – they simply walked up to the roof and were on “Tar Beach” enjoying the sunshine over New York City.

The Paramount, Roxy and Capitol Theaters were only a few blocks away, but Jeanne and her friends were more comfortable in their own movie theater - the Tivoli (it was an “itch”, but it was their “itch”). Later there were “beer rackets” at social clubs, dances everywhere, including the Hartley House, Clinton Park and Power Memorial (all boys!) High School, the PAL (Lynch) Center, “Football Weddings” in the church halls and rock and roll shows at the Brooklyn Paramount. Coney Island was a long (fifteen cent) ride on the combination subway and elevated D Train, but it gave JB and her fellow teenage queens plenty of time to laugh and sing the popular rock and roll and doo wop hits from the 1950s.

While in high school, Jeanne worked part time at nearby McLean Trucking and went full-time after graduation. Later she worked as a secretary at H & R Television in the Seagram Building on Park Avenue. Her family moved to Ozone Park, Queens and on June 20, 1964, Jeanne Belleau married Edward Mullaney at Holy Cross Church on 42nd Street. The newlyweds moved to Flushing, Queens where their children, Eddie and Maureen were born. In the summer of 1972, the family moved to Brewster, New York. Whenever Jeanne was asked how long it took her to get used to the fact that Brewster had no sidewalks, streetlights, subways or crosstown buses, her answer never varied - "Who said I ever got used to it?" Nevertheless, she became a big fan of the Brewster Town Beach at Tonetta Lake.

The home in Brewster Heights was filled with love, support, faith, laughter and music. Jeanne and Ed hosted Fourth of July, Labor Day, Memorial Day and Thanksgiving celebrations with joy and ease. Christmas Eve at the house became a Mullaney tradition second to none.

JB insisted on family vacations - something she did not experience growing up. Lavallette on the Jersey Shore was one of her favorites. When her children got older, in five or six sweeps, Jeanne and Ed managed to motor through forty-nine states and visit forty state capitals. JB and Big Ed visited Europe and traveled to ten countries. Besides loving to dance, JB loved to swim, so wherever they went on their jaunts, it was a must that the hotel had a pool.

Jeanne regularly attended Mass at Saint Lawrence O’Toole. She was a praying woman of faith who was naturally, upbeat, humble and selfless. While living in Brewster she worked as a secretary at Henry H. Wells Middle School and at Guideposts in Carmel, New York. She enjoyed working and socializing with her colleagues, made lasting friendships, kept in touch after retirement and often met for lunch with her fellow retirees. She was also involved in the Seniors group in Brewster and would delight her husband, children and grandchildren with some of the trinkets she created.

Her daughter Maureen married Robert Kenny in 1995 and her son Eddie married Maureen Fitzpatrick in 1999. JB was “Grammie” or “Gram” to Andrew and Bridget Kenny and to Maeve, Colleen and Erin Mullaney. Jeanne delighted in watching her grandchildren play sports - baseball, softball, basketball, soccer, swimming, gymnastics and track. She lovingly attended their concerts, church celebrations, plays, Irish dance competitions and graduations. She delighted in having them over in summer and watching them swim in the backyard pool. Since she had a penchant for staying up late, watching television, reading and munching on pretzels, she was lovingly referred to as “Grandma Owl”.

During her struggle with cancer beginning in 2019, Jeanne remained amazingly positive. She consistently kept the attention from being on herself, downplayed her health challenges and always re-directed the conversation to how the people around her were doing. JB had a remarkable way of making others feel special, appreciated, cared for and loved. A week before her passing, Jeanne and Ed sang "My Shoes Keep Walking Back to You" together. A few nights later, she did a nifty shuffle step from the living room couch back to her bed, singing "If I Knew You Were Comin’ I'd’ve Baked a Cake”. She left this earth peacefully in her home in Brewster Heights with her loving husband by her side and the sun shining on her face through the bedroom window.

Jeanne is survived by her husband of sixty years, Edward Mullaney of Brewster, NY; her son Eddie and his wife Maureen and their redheads Maeve, Colleen and Erin of Poughquag, NY; her daughter Maureen and her children Drew and Bridget of New Fairfield, CT. (Sadly, her remarkable son-in-law Rob Kenny passed away last October); her loving sisters-in-law Ann McDonough, Patricia Mullaney and Peggy Mullaney; a tidal wave of nieces and nephews and scores of friends from Brewster and beyond. Jeanne was predeceased by her dear sisters Theresa (2017), Lucille (1989) and brother Joe (1987).

Back in 1983, there was a local band that won a Brewster High School Battle of the Bands competition. The name of the band was Something Extra. JB was always and will forever be Something Extra – an amazingly kind woman and loved by all who knew her. Love ya’, good lookin’!

A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated Saturday October 28, 2023, at 9:30am at St. Lawrence O' Toole Church, 31 Prospect Street, Brewster, NY 10509. Calling hours will be held on Friday October 27, 2023, from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm at Beecher Funeral Home, 1 Putnam Ave., Brewster, NY. Interment will be Private.