Bernice C. Mulligan, 85, of Port Charlotte, Florida, passed away Saturday, February 23, 2013 after a extended illness.

Born on May 9, 1927 in Brooklyn, New York to Violet (nee-Fahr) and Walter Malone, Bernice was the loving wife of Robert H. “Bob” Mulligan for 63 years. She and Bob moved to Port Charlotte in 1987 from Merrick, New York.

Bernice was known to her friends and relatives as a quick wit and could always bring a smile to their face with a joke or wry comment. She enjoyed playing Bingo with her friends and never turned down an invitation to visit “Vegas” to spend time with her best pal, Antoinette “Toni” Bradley.

While Bernice was a great cook and could make sauce as well as the best Italian cook, she and Bob loved to visit area restaurants and the crew and her friends at Whiskey Creek were especially saddened by her passing. Bernice was a kind and generous woman and a lady most of all. She brightened the day of everyone with whom she came in contact. Her nieces and nephews liked to call her “Aunt B” and her grandchildren called her “momma”. Bernice was a faithful member of St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church in Port Charlotte.

She is survived by her children, James (Noelle) Mulligan, Kathleen (John) Riebe, Joan (Robert) McGrath, Daniel (Marie) Mulligan, Robert (Karen) Mulligan, Jr., Colleen Mulligan and Mary Ann (Douglas) Tobias; her grandchildren, Cara, Kevin, Mariah, Lindsay, Brandon, Amanda, Daniel and Sara; and great grandchildren, James and Julianne. She was preceded in death by her remarkable grandson, Christopher. She is also survived by her sister, Colleen Hughes and brother, John Malone and their loving families.

There will be a Mass of Christian Burial at St. Matthew Catholic Church in Dix Hills, New York with interment to follow at Calverton National Cemetery, Calverton, Long Island, NY.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in Bernice’s name to Catholic Charities, USA, or your local hospice.

Arrangements are by Roberson Funeral Home Port Charlotte Chapel.