November 11, 1936 – May 28, 2025
Barbara E. (Kelly) Mullen of Reading passed away at Artis Memory Care in Lexington on May 28, 2025. She was 88 years of age. Barbara was born in Bronx, New York, on November 11, 1936. She was the daughter of the late Mortimer and Christine (Marek) Kelly.
Barbara was raised in the Bronx and lived in the beachside community of Edgewater while she worked at Exxon Mobil in New York City as an Accounts Manager. When Exxon Mobil moved its headquarters to Virginia, Barbara moved to Fairfax, Virginia, and immersed herself in golf, bowling, and travel with friends and family. Upon retirement, she and her sister, Patricia, moved to Massachusetts, and she spent her golden years traveling all over the world and in the US. Lighthouses were a particular passion, and she visited as many as she could and collected keepsakes from the various lighthouses she visited. She also loved spending time with her nieces, nephews, and their children, and could frequently be found at various sporting events rooting on teams, attending dance recitals, or just spoiling them with attention. Barbara was active in the Reading Senior Center and loved nothing more than winning at Bingo. An avid sports fan, especially the Yankees and the Giants, she cheered on her NY teams even when she was in Massachusetts. She was a prodigious knitter, and many people were the grateful recipients of blankets, hats, and sweaters–love went into every stitch.
Barbara was the cherished sister of Arthur Finlay and his wife Roseanne of New York and the late Michael Kelly and Patricia Perez. She is also survived by her nieces Lisa and husband Dan, Christine and husband DJ, JoAnn and husband Ron; nephews, Richard and wife Jeannine, Mickey and wife Janette, and Michael and wife Barbara. She was beloved by her many great nieces and nephews.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held for Barbara on June 28 at St. Agnes Church, 186 Woburn St., Reading at 10:30 am. Relatives and friends are invited to attend. Burial is private and there are no visiting hours.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Barbara’s memory to the Alzheimer’s Association, 3201 Nevada St. Newton, MA 02460 www.alz.org
