Eileen M. Mullen Ed.D

Eileen M. Mullen, Ed.D., 91, of Dedham, MA, a former long-time resident of Cranston, RI, died peacefully on Saturday, October 27th.  She was the beloved wife for 62 years of the late Joseph T. Mullen.  They met at a dance in Narragansett, RI, when he was home on leave from serving in the Army Air Corps during WWII.

Eileen is survived by five loving children and their spouses: Joseph Glenmullen, MD, of Cambridge, MA; Thomas Mullen of Boston, MA; Edward Mullen of Newton, MA, and Naples, FL, and his wife Susanne; Mary Kirby of Williamstown, MA, and her husband Kris; and Eileen Mullen of Needham, MA, and her husband Doug Phillips.

She was a devoted and cherished grandmother to twelve grandchildren and their spouses:  Ciara Glenmullen and her husband Kevin Borden, Peter Penn and his wife Aryn, Michael Glenmullen, Michelle Mullen, April Taylor and her husband Jared, Jen Mullen and her husband Mat Calabro, Liz Mullen, Will Kirby and his wife Anna, Thomas Kirby, and Nick, Claire and Kate Phillips.  She recently celebrated the birth of her first great-grandchild: Connor Borden. 

She is survived by two dear sisters, Margeurite Thoren and Rita Pilkington, as well as many nieces, nephews, and cousins.  She was pre-deceased by three dear brothers, Msgr. Arthur Geoghegan, Col. Joseph Geoghegan, and Dr. Leo Geoghegan.  

Eileen was born in Providence, RI, the daughter of the late Peter and Margaret (Turbitt) Geoghegan.  Though they met in this country, both of her parents were born in Ireland.  Many newly-arrived Irish immigrants stayed for a short time in their home while Eileen was growing up.  The family hosted Irish gatherings with live music in their basement.  Her mother played the accordion and did Irish step dancing. 

Eileen had a beautiful singing voice and performed professionally as a soprano soloist in her younger years.  Her voice teacher was noted baritone Royal Dadmun. 

In 1948, she graduated from Rhode Island College with a degree in education. She taught school in Providence before starting her family, and she returned to work when the children were older.  In 1974, she received a doctorate in Developmental and School Psychology from Boston University. 

Her graduate research on early childhood aptitude testing led to her greatest accomplishment: the development of the Mullen Scales of Early Learning, a diagnostic tool now used in school systems and research programs throughout the country.  Instead of providing a global score, it breaks down cognitive and motor functioning into five independent scores, thus providing teachers and therapists with information about the child’s unique profile of strengths and weaknesses.

She was the founder and president of TOTAL Child, Inc.  For twenty years, she was Vice President and Director of Clinical Services at Meeting Street School in Providence, RI.  Before fully retiring, she worked in private practice and as a consulting school psychologist at Meadowbrook Waldorf School and Potter Hill School, both in RI.  She was a charter member of the American Psychological Society and held memberships in a wide variety of professional organizations.  She was active on a number of boards in her native Rhode Island. 

A private Funeral Mass was held on November 3rd at Our Lady Help of Christians Church in Newton, MA.  Eileen was buried alongside her husband in Newton Cemetery.

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