Obituary of Brian J Mulhern

Brian J. Mulhern,

age 71, of Minneapolis, died of Parkinson’s Disease and COVID, August 30. Born June 18, 1949 in NYC. Predeceased by parents John and Jean Mulhern and beloved sister-in-law Rebecca Schatz.

Survived by David Wood, life partner for 47 years; siblings Mary Jean Mulherin, Terry (Lin), John, Ann Shields (Brian), Patricia McClanahan (Tim), and Tom (Kim Erwin); and many beloved nieces and nephews, great-nieces and nephews and cherished friends.

Active in antiwar, co-op and LGBTQ+ movements. Graduate of Carleton College, U of M and U of Wis/Madison. Studied 9 languages. Librarian/archivist at U of M, Mpls Public Library, and MIA. Brian’s intellect was deep and delightful to all who knew him, but it was his heart and feelings rather than his brain and thoughts that were the biggest part of him.

Many thanks to the incredible, caring staff of Walker-Methodist Health Center and Allina Hospice. A Zoom memorial service is being planned for late September. Memorials to Quatrefoil Library or org of yr choice.

The Life and Contributions of Brian J. Mulhern

Brian Joseph Mulhern was born on June 18, 1949 in New York City. When he was four, his family moved to Buffalo, NY, where he grew up and graduated from Calasanctius School. He was the oldest of seven children (three brothers and three sisters).

When he was 17, he moved to Minnesota to attend Carleton College where he earned a B.A. in Liberal Arts. He subsequently earned degrees at the University of Minnesota (M.A. in American Studies/Immigration History) and the University of Wisconsin-Madison (M.S. in Library Science).

Brian seems to have caught the language “bug” from his mother, who taught high school Spanish as a young woman. At one time or another, Brian studied Latin, Greek, Italian, French,

Swedish, Norwegian, Russian, Polish, and Dutch. In his library, he had many books in Yiddish and a book titled Farsi for Beginners.

Brian worked many years as a librarian cataloging books and answering patron questions and as an archivist organizing collections of papers and creating finding aids so that they would be accessible to scholars. Among the places he worked were:

· University of Minnesota Social Welfare History Archives

· Wangensteen History of Medicine and Biology Library & Archive

· Minneapolis Public Library

· Minnesota State Law Library

· Minneapolis Institute of Arts

In addition to his own scholarly work and active participation in the Minnesota Independent Scholars Forum, Brian played an important supportive role in the work of several other people, including Betty Bergland, professor emerita of history at the University of Madison-River Falls; Chris Wagner, branch manager with the Madison Public Libraries; and Dave Wood, who received

personal and editorial support from Brian in everything he did as a freelance writer and nonprofit communications director. Betty recalls that once when she needed a particular book for her Pd.D. thesis research but could not obtain the book due to a broken ankle, Brian (who did not drive) took several buses to get the book for her.

Brian also played an important political and cultural role in our society. He was a member of that first generation of gay men who were able to live their lives openly and proudly. The hundreds of people who encountered him had a positive experience of a gay man at a time when most people had never knowingly met a “homosexual.” Brian’s 47-year relationship with Dave Wood helped to demolish the myth that gay men could not have long-term relationships.

Brian was an early and enthusiastic supporter of many LGBT organizations such as Friends (Quakers) for Lesbian and Gay Concerns, Out and About Theater, Calliope Women’s

Chorus, One Voice Mixed Chorus, the Freedom Band, Dignity, and the Minneapolis Gay Pride Parade.

Brian was also active in the Vietnam Antiwar Movement and the Twin Cities Coop Movement. Among other things, he was involved in Mill City Foods and was a board member and treasurer of the Wedge Coop.

Brian’s intellect was deep and delightful to all who knew him, but it was his heart and feelings rather than his brain and thoughts that were the biggest part of him.

Everyone at Walker-Methodist Health Center, where he lived his last five years, knew that Brian was a librarian and that he loved books. A staff member once gave him two books she bought at a yard sale with her own money, and a fellow book-loving resident thanked him effusively for being a librarian.

Many staff at Walker-Methodist commented on Brian’s wonderful, warm smile. It was like the sun bursting forth from behind the clouds. When his life partner, Dave Wood, and he

were alone on the elevator, they enjoyed stolen kisses, and once when they were kissing good-bye at the end of a visit, their friend Kathy Nelson commented to Dave, “Now I understand why you enjoy visiting Brian so much.”

A hundred boxes of Brian’s books have been donated to the East Side Freedom Library in East St. Paul, and ten boxes of Brian’s papers have been given to the Jean-Nickolaus Tretter Collection in Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Studies at the University of Minnesota.