Dr. James Edward Mulvihill, 83, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, May 15, at his home in Goose Rocks Beach.
Mulvihill was born in Cleveland, Ohio,, on Sept. 24, 1940, first son of the late Teresa J. (Carlos) Mulvihill and the late John F. Mulvihill. He was raised in Wethersfield, Connecticut, where he met the love of his life, Mary Jane (Forino) Mulvihill, who he began dating on Jan. 1, 1955, and whom he married on June 22, 1963. They were happily married for over 60 years and joyfully together for almost 70 years.
Mulvihill attended Wethersfield High School with Mary Jane. They graduated with honors in 1958. He attended the College of the Holy Cross, in Worcester, Massachusetts, where he received his undergraduate degree with honors in 1962. Mulvihill’s interest in health care led him to Harvard University’s School of Dental Medicine, where he received a Doctor of Dental Medicine degree and specialty education in periodontology and oral medicine in 1966.
Mulvihill’s distinguished professional career began shortly after his Harvard graduation when he became an assistant dean at Harvard’s School of Dental Medicine. Subsequent positions included serving as vice president for education and research and dean of the Clinical Campus of the Long Island Jewish Medical Center, where he helped to develop the dental, medical, and allied health professions programs of the new Health Sciences Center of the State University of New York at Stony Brook. Mulvihill served as vice president and provost for Health Affairs and the executive director of the University of Connecticut Health Center from 1980 to 1992. While at UConn, Mulvihill was instrumental in endowing more than 25 academic chairs and made the institution an integral part of the community by establishing initiatives including the UConn Children’s Cancer Fund. Mulvihill worked for three years as senior vice president for health policy of The Travelers Insurance Company and chairman of The Travelers Health Company. In 1995, Mulvihill served as president and chief executive officer of the Forsyth Dental Center in Boston.
In 1996, Mulvihill was appointed to a three-year term as president and chief executive officer of the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation International (JDFI). During his tenure, JDFI became the fastest growing voluntary, nonprofit health agency in the United States and the world’s largest nonprofit, nongovernmental funder of diabetes research. Annual program revenues doubled, as did expenditures to support research to find a cure for diabetes and its complications, and the efficiency level of the organization was recognized as one of the best of all nonprofit organizations.
Mulvihill authored two books and nearly 50 scientific papers. He was a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and of the American and the International Colleges of Dentists. He was a past chairman of the Association of Academic Health Centers and of the National Fund for Medical Education. He was a recipient of distinguished alumnus awards from both Holy Cross and the Harvard School of Dental Medicine for his leadership, service, and constant commitment to excellence.
He was very active advancing several other nonprofit organizations and causes, including the PGA Tour’s First Tee Program, and the American Dental Education Association (ADEA), where Mulvihill was instrumental in shaping ADEA’s institutional and corporate relationships in ways that benefitted both the dental education community and the oral health of the public. Mulvihill received ADEA’s Distinguished Service Award in 2008.
More important for Mulvihill than any professional accolades, however, was always his family and first amongst them the love of his life, Mary Jane. Mulvihill is survived by his wife, Mary Jane, his daughter, Karen E. (Mulvihill) Baldwin and her husband, Howard L. Baldwin, of Palm Springs, California, his daughter Kristen A. Mulvihill and her husband, David Rohde, of New York City, his son, Jason D. Mulvihill and his wife Christina, of Arlington, Virginia. Mulvihill is also survived by four wonderful grandchildren, Ella and Julia Rohde, and Reagan and Thatcher Mulvihill, of whom Mulvihill was very proud. Mulvihill is also survived by his two brothers, John Mulvihill and Thomas Mulvihill, and their wives and families.
Mulvihill was a loving family man who cherished his time with his wife, children, grandchildren, and other extended family and friends. He enjoyed golf, the Boston Red Sox, travel, time at the beach, reading, bird watching, star gazing and his deep relationship with God. As witnessed by his life and many accomplishments, he left the world infinitely better off than how he found it.
Memorial contributions may be made to a charity of your choosing.
To share a memory or leave a message of condolence please visit James’ Book of Memories Page at www.bibberfuneral.com.
Arrangements are in the care of Bibber Memorial Chapel, 67 Summer St., Kennebunk, ME 04043.
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