Alice Mary (Demers) Mulherin

Alice Mary (Demers) Mulherin, 91, of Salem, Massachusetts passed away after a lengthy illness on January 24, 2026, at Pilgrim Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Peabody, Massachusetts.

Alice was born on February 26, 1934, in Salem, Massachusetts, to Ulysses and Ophelia (Matton) Demers. She was raised in the Castle Hill section of Salem, where she attended St. Anne’s School; Alice graduated from Salem High School in1951. After high school, Alice worked at New England Telephone & Telegraph Company as a switchboard operator. It was at New England Telephone where Alice made lifelong friends and met her husband, John Martin Mulherin. John and Alice married on October 6, 1956, and settled in Peabody, Massachusetts, where they raised their family.

Alice was a third-generation descendant of Pierre Caisse, who immigrated from Québec, Canada, and settled in Salem in the spring of 1856. Pierre was the first French-Canadian to settle in Salem, where French-Canadians would eventually account for one-third of the city’s total population.

Aside from being with her family and friends, Alice enjoyed listening to classical music, working on crossword puzzles, and tending to her cherished cats, many of which she had over the years.

Alice is survived by her children: John Mulherin and his wife, Rhonda, of St. Augustine, Florida; Elizabeth Gilleran and her husband, Michael, of Wellesley; Richard Mulherin of Dracut; and Laurice Mulherin of Boston; as well as her grandchildren: John, Michael, Peter, and Daniel Gilleran; and Candace Mulherin. She was predeceased by her husband and siblings.

Alice’s family are grateful to the staff at Pilgrim for the kindness and care they provided her with. In lieu of flowers, donations in Alice’s memory may be made to support Pilgrim’s activities program by sending a contribution to Pilgrim Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, 96 Forest Street, Peabody MA 01960.

Visitation will be held on Tuesday, February 3, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Murphy Funeral Home, 85 Federal Street, Salem, Massachusetts. Mass and burial will be private.