John W. ‘Bill’ Mulgrew 1944-2023
DENTON, Texas — John W. “Bill” Mulgrew, 79, passed away from COVID-19, Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2023, at Texas Presbyterian Hospital-Denton, with his sister, Katie, at his side.
He was born Jan. 20, 1944, in Youngstown, a son of William C. and Lucy Hackett Mulgrew. Before relocating to Denton in 1975, to be closer to family, he was employed as a fireman with the Erie Lackawanna Railroad. After arriving in Denton, he worked for the University of North Texas Basketball Coliseum and later found his true calling and love of working with people by becoming a convenience store manager.
He was well known in the Denton area for opening and running many of the original Easy Check and Johnny Joes convenience stores. People would go from one store to another just to find him. He has a natural love for all the children that came in the stores, and I think that was why the parents would follow him.
Bill attended 12 years of Catholic schools in Youngstown: St. Patrick Elementary School and then was a 1962 graduate of Cardinal Mooney High School. Bill is still a member of St. Patrick Church in Youngstown and would make it a point to go to Mass whenever he was in town. Bill attended Immaculate Conception Church in Denton and was also a member of First Rock Fellowship in Aubrey, Texas.
Bill is survived by his sisters, Katie (Gene) Green of Aubrey, Texas and Sallie (Tony) Furr of Concord, North Carolina; his nieces, Deanna (Danny) Bowman of Bedford, Texas; Carrie (Steve) Smith of Pilot Point, Texas; Maureen DeBacco (Randy) Kirksey of San Ramon, California; Sherry (Joann) Moore of Cortland; and Molly (Marcus) Williams of Grand Rapids, Michigan; his nephews, Mark (Donna) DeBacco of Chagrin Falls and Lonnie (Vicky) Green of Euless, Texas; and 21 great-nieces and -nephews.
In addition to his parents, Bill was preceded in death by two of his sisters, Patricia Ann Mulgrew and Judy Mulgrew Moore.
A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024, at First Rock Fellowship Church, 201 N. Cherry St., Aubrey, Texas, by Pastor Chris Walden. Honorary pallbearers are Lance Howard, Colt Davis, Ricky Whitfield, Mark DeBacco and Randy Kirksey. Bill will be laid to rest in Belew Cemetery, Aubrey, Texas.
Arrangements are by Bill DeBerry Funeral Directors, 2025 W. University Dr., Denton, TX 76201 Family and friends can visit www.DeBerryFuneralDirectors.com to visit this obituary and send condolences to Bill’s family.
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