John C. 'Jack' Mulrooney
John C. “Jack” Mulrooney, 95, of Prairie du Chien, died on Sunday, Oct. 13, 2019.
Jack was born in Bloomington, on Sept. 27, 1924, the son of Clifford and Harriet (McGrath) Mulrooney.
He attended St. Mary’s grade school and Bloomington and Boscobel High Schools, graduating from Bloomington in 1942. He attended Loras College for one semester, then served in the Army Air Corps from March of 1943 until October of 1945. He held rank of flight officer–bombardier. After his discharge from service, he enrolled at La Crosse State Teachers College, where he lettered in track three years. He was co-captain of the 1948 track team and served as president of the letterman’s club.
On Sept. 4, 1948, he married Glee Snyder at St. John’s Catholic Church in Prairie du Chien. He graduated from La Crosse in January 1949, and came to Prairie du Chien in March of 1949, as a teacher of physical education and civics, track coach, assistant basketball and football coach and later head football coach from 1954 to 1959. His track team won conference championships in 1952, ‘53, ‘58 and ‘59.
In 1959, he went to Port Washington as a teacher of physical education and assistant track, football and basketball coach. He returned to Prairie du Chien in 1960 as assistant superintendent of schools. He followed B.A. Kennedy as superintendent of schools in 1962, and held that position for 29 years, until his retirement in 1991. Prior to his retirement, the board of education named the football/track facility the John C. Mulrooney Field.
From 1999 to 2003, he worked for CESA as a part-time consultant in the special education department. He served 19 years with the WIAA, 13 of those on the advisory council and six years on the board of control. He was an athletic official for 63 years in baseball, football, basketball, track and cross country, working as a starter at many WIAA state track meets, WIAC conference meets, Iowa intercollegiate meets and the NCAA Division III meets in both cross country and track. He is a long-time member of the Kiwanis Club, served on the library board and was an active member of St. Gabriel’s Catholic Church.
Surviving are his five children, Pat of La Crosse, Mike (Amy) of Hartland, Margaret Mulrooney of Montclaire, N.J., Ann (Joe) Hanson of Dodgeville and Mary Mulrooney Emmrich of Prairie du Chien; seven grandchildren, Kara Mulrooney (Tate Bunker), Jackie (Joe) Giacalone, Michaela (Kristopher) Serra, Jack (Sarah) Emmrich, Billy (Katlyn) Emmrich, Molly Hanson and Mary Hanson; four great-grandchildren, Keegan Giacalone, Sinora Bunker and Kristopher and Vincent Serra; two brothers, Stan Mulrooney of Janesville, Bob Mulrooney of San Luis Obispo, Calif.; two sisters, Lizzie Watson of Las Vegas and Jane Mulrooney of Flagstaff, Ariz. He is further survived by many nieces, nephews, cousins and countless friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Clifford and Harriet Mulrooney; his wife, Glee (2012); sisters, Pat Brader and Mary Jean Erler.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be Friday, Oct. 18, at 11 a.m. at St. Gabriel’s Catholic Church of the Holy Family Parish, Msgr. Charles Stoetzel officiating, with burial in the Calvary Cemetery, both in Prairie du Chien. Military honors will be accorded by the Prairie du Chien Honor Guard. Friends may call on Thursday, Oct. 17, from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Performing Arts Center of Prairie du Chien High School, where there will be a wake scripture at 7:30 p.m., and also at the church one hour prior to the Mass on Friday.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the Futures Scholarship Program at Prairie du Chien High School. The Garrity Funeral Home, of Prairie du Chien, is assisting the family.
