Obituary of Mabel A. (Mello) Mullen

Mabel A. (Mello) Mullen, 87, died at the Twin Oaks Nursing Home in Danvers, Saturday, June 10, under Hospice Care, following a long illness. She was the devoted wife of Robert J. Mullen with whom she shared over 61 years of marriage. Born in Peabody on September 12, 1918, she was the daughter of the late Manuel and Angelina (Soares) Mello. She lived in Salem for most of her life and attended Salem Schools. Mabel was employed for more than 20 years as a monitor for Sylvania and later GTE Sylvania in both Boston and Salem. “THE MULLENS”, Mabel and Robert, were a widely known ballroom team. Members of a small group, they invented and popularized the original line dance “The Hully Gully” at the Old Hotel Rockmere in Marblehead and taught hundreds of couples line dancing at the old Knights of Columbus in Nahant. They were long term members of the Society of Ballroom Dancers of Boston, headquartered at the Chestnut Hill Country Club in Brookline and were associated for more than 25 years with the Athenians Orchestra of Peabody as authentic Greek Dance Leaders. She is survived by her Godmother, Hilda Prata of Peabody, her lifelong friends Andre and Alice Michaud of Andover and Nathalie Rothblatt of Beverly and numerous relatives. She was the sister of the late Frank and Anthony Mello. Her funeral service will be held on Wednesday at 9:00 AM from the Conway, Cahill-Brodeur Funeral Home, 20 Church St., Peabody Facility, followed by a Funeral Mass at 10:00 AM in St. Thomas the Apostle Church, Peabody, to which relatives and friends are invited to attend. Visitation on Tuesday from 5:00 until 8:00 PM. Burial in St. Mary’s Cemetery, Salem. Expressions of sympathy can be sent in her name to All Care Hospice, 16 City Hall Square, Lynn, MA 01902.