Janet Barker Mullan, 90, of Derwood, MD passed away on June 14, 2026 at her home. 

 

She was the devoted and loving wife of Philip Joseph Mullan, with whom she shared 67 years, loving mother to Marlene, David and Suzanne, and devoted Nana to her 7 grandsons.

 

Born on March 25, 1936, in Albany, NY, she was the daughter of the late John A. Barker and Grace Dorothy Van Keuren. 

 

In Albany, she lived in a duplex with her parents and two older sisters while her grandparents lived downstairs. In 1946, her father’s job relocated the family to Farmington, CT where Janet graduated valedictorian from Farmington High School in 1954. She studied at Hartford College for Women and then Wellesley College in Wellesley, MA, graduating with a BA in History in 1958. 

 

Janet married Philip Mullan on June 20, 1959 in Farmington, CT. She loved teaching children and taught at Blessed Sacrament parish school in Cambridge, MA and at Columbia Grammar School in New York City. They lived in NYC, Boston and Poughkeepsie, NY before moving to Derwood, MD in 1969 where they raised three children. Janet was a homemaker when her children were young. Janet started her own business as a Certified Financial Planner, helping people for over 30 years with retirement planning and personal investing. She was President of Suburban Maryland Life Underwriter’s Association and a proud member of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR). 

 

Janet and Phil enjoyed traveling with Janet’s sisters on river boat cruises in Europe and Russia. At age 75, Janet retired. Mostly, Janet loved being with her husband and family. She and Phil attended any event in which their grandchildren participated: swim meets, lacrosse, basketball and soccer games, concerts and graduations. They vacationed together in Bethany Beach, DE and Holden Beach, NC. 

 

Janet was predeceased by her sister, Marcia Fitzgerald. She is survived by her husband, Phil; her sister, Suzanne Brylowe; children: Marlene Murphy (Frank), David Mullan (Mary Fran), and Suzanne Shorts (Timothy); and her beloved grandsons: Dan and Ryan Shorts, Brian, James and Sean Murphy, and Andrew (Julia) and Eric Mullan. 

 

Janet’s life will be celebrated at a 11:00 am funeral mass on July 18, 2026 at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Derwood, MD with family receiving friends from 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM prior to the mass.

 

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Tunnel to Towers or St. Jude Children’s Hospital.