Ellen Doris McMullen

Ellen Doris Berlin McMullen, aged 92, left us the morning of May 9th. She was stubbornly active to the end, tending to her plants, birds, and family. Blessed with a loved life, she was wife to Andrew McMullen, daughter of Wilhelm and Elisabeth Berlin, mother of Mark and Robin, and grandmother to Briana and Kellianne as well as being a beloved great-grandmother to Rikki.

Born to German immigrants in 1933 on Long Island, NY, German was her primary language on her family’s dairy and chicken farm. First in Huntington and later in Northport, she was known as the girl that drove the covered wagon in local parades. As she grew up, her interest in sciences and nature led her to study biochemistry. Excelling as a student, she not only graduated a year early but was valedictorian of the 1950 Northport High School class. Accepted to college, she attended Long Island University (LIU). She would go on to become an assistant to Watson and Crick in the Cold Spring National labs during their landmark DNA studies.

However, her life pivoted when she met the quiet, handsome Andrew McMullen on the LIRR commuting to college. She and Andrew were destined to share 62 wonderful years until Andrew departed this realm in 2017. As a 1960’s wife/mother, she worked as a bus driver and later for Messinger Insurance (Sovak & Mahlstadt). Andrew, an aerospace engineer, was transferred to California in 1989, the same year that made them grandparents. Leaving the Northport home they built together, they crossed the country with their dogs and geese to make a new home in Mira Loma. Ellen’s last job was to work for the Corona Police Department.

Andrew and Ellen traveled the continent extensively via motorhomes throughout their long marriage. Inevitably, she always returned to her menagerie of birds. Known as “Mother Goose” for many years, she rehabbed many animals and always had chickens, geese, Scottish terriers, and parakeets prior to retiring. Upon retiring, they spend much of their time with granddaughter Briana as well as the Scotties and a cockatiel, and later with their great granddaughter Rikki.

In the end, she passed peacefully with Robin after spending much time with her family. Predeceased by her husband Andrew McMullen (2017), parents and stepgrandson Ricky Siebach, she leaves behind her son Mark McMullen (wife Susan), daughter Robin (husband Dan Harman), granddaughters Briana Moreno, Kellianne McMullen and great granddaughter Rikki Moreno, “Adopted grandchildren and grear-grandchildren” family Kailund and Kadie LoMonaco with Jordan and Aurora, dear friends Jane W of Long Island and Julie K of Mira Loma, and dear relatives Christine and Andreas, Stephan and more in Germany. Her legacy is large and leaves a great void in our broken hearts… may she feel no more pain and fly free with Andrew forever as she had dreamed.