Retired nurse and devoted mother who will be missed by four generations

Mrs Mulligan passed away at Craigavon Area Hospital after a short illness and leaves behind four loving generations – she is survived by husband Jackie, daughter Deborah Mawhinney (husband Kenneth), sons Stephen (wife Kim) and Ashley (wife Sherryn), six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren, and elder sister Joan.

Born Barbara Vanwae Turner to Caroline and Billy Turner, she began her life in Bangor. The family soon moved to Lurgan’s Avenue Road (also Jackie’s home town) and Barbara started her education at King’s Park Primary School, moving to Lurgan College where she became involved in pursuits like hockey, drama and elocution.

As children, Joan and Barbara (best friends as well as sisters) attended High Street Presbyterian Church, Lurgan where they were keen members of the Girls’ Brigade.

It was at this stage of her life that she met a fell in love with Jackie (later, on the staff of Portadown College) and they were to share 59 years of happy, married life. Their Portadown homes were at Princess Way and The Avenue But there was a career to pursue before matrimony and her first choice was her local Lurgan Hospital, although she was deemed too small under the regulations of the time!

However, Barbara Turner thought big, and applied to the Royal Hospital in Belfast. In his tribute at mum’s thanksgiving service at First Portadown Presbyterian Church, son Stephen said, “Not only was she successful in admission, but qualified with distinction, winning notable prizes and medals en route.” She worked in the Royal’s ENT Department after she qualified.

Barbara and Jackie were married in 1957 in High Street Presbyterian Church, Lurgan, and lived in Belfast for a while, with Jackie completing studies at Stranmillis. After that, they followed Jackie’s job to Cookstown, and then to Portadown, where Barbara’s sister Joan also settled.