Dorothy Ann “Doanne” Mahowald Mulvihill , 87, passed away Sunday, July 31, 2022 in Round Rock, Texas after complications from a stroke.  Dorothy Ann Mahowald was born February 19, 1935 in Grand Forks, North Dakota.  She moved to South Bend, Indiana at the age of 4 when her parents came to set up a luggage and leather goods business, Mahowald’s Luggage.

She sold high end leather gloves, modeled in newspaper ads, did gift wrapping and sales for her parents’ store and was always very proud to be known as “The Mahowald Girl” in South Bend. She graduated from St. Mary’s Academy in South Bend, and then attended Barat College, National Lewis University, Mary Manse College, and St. Mary’s College.  She earned a bachelor’s degree from Indiana University at South Bend in 1987, an accomplishment she achieved later in life because she felt it was an important example for her children and future grandchildren.

She married John T. “Jerry” Mulvihill in 1956 and started her family immediately after moving to Grand Rapids, Michigan.  Anne Marie, Mary Frances and Christopher Jude were born in Grand Rapids.  The family moved back to South Bend so Jerry could attend law school at The University of Notre Dame and Maureen Elizabeth was born. Terese Michaeleen was a law school graduation gift two years later. Doanne took great pleasure in the successes of her grandchildren, children and their spouses.  It was their love and support that kept her going all these years.

Doanne had a twenty-year sales career in a variety of capacities.  She sold high end cosmetics, advertising programs, gift catalogs, and she sold Bingo games for her daughter.  She devoted herself to the care of her aging mother in the last years of her mother’s life and then moved to Wimette, Il in 1997 to be near family and focus on her grandchildren. She managed to have fun dancing, dating and traveling in those active years. She moved again to Round Rock, Texas in 2021, where she made many friends in a short amount of time.

Known affectionately as “Bobbi” to her seven grandchildren, she put a priority on fun and her natural enthusiasm endeared her as a wonderful grandmother.  She imparted her strong faith and positive attitude which helped her overcome the many challenges in her life that she always handled with grace.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Dorothy M. Mahowald, Leo H. Mahowald, sister Betty Jo Mahowald, and brother Robert E. Mahowald.

Glamourous, beautiful and cheerful to the end, Doanne was a woman as unique as her name.  Her sparkling smile, quick wit and love of life will be missed terribly by all who knew her.

A private memorial service will be held at a later date.  Contributions in memory of Doanne may be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital (stjude.org) or to the Chisolm Trail Cowboy Church in Weir, Texas(ctcctx.org).