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MCMULLAN -- John J. McMullan, age 88, died peacefully on Friday, November 4, 2005 from respiratory complications and degenerative heart disease following a short term illness. He was born July 26, 1917, in Kansas City, MO to Noreen Cunningham McMullan (d. 1976) of Atchison, KS and John J. McMullan (d. 1919 of pandemic influenza), a naturalized citizen from Lorne-County Atrim, Northern Ireland. He graduated from De La Salle Academy in Kansas City in 1935 and entered the University of New Mexico until graduation in January 1941. He was a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity and was ultimately recognized as a "Life Loyal Sig" as part of active involvement in the Beta Xi Chapter at UNM. He enlisted in the Army in August 1941 just prior to his marriage on November 28, 1942 to his surviving wife, Elizabeth Walker McMullan, originally from La Junta, CO. He met his wife of 63 years while attending UNM. Following his military service and discharge and following 18 months of hospitalization from tuberculosis, they settled in Albuquerque where he entered the real estate business with Anderman and Glasebrook. Over the next 60 years of active involvement in the real estate business, he developed and built more than 700 homes, 900 apartment units and numerous office and industrial buildings throughout Albuquerque. He handled the sale of the land which is presently Coronado Center to Bellamah Corporation in 1956. Subsequently he was elected President of the Albuquerque Board of Realtors in 1965. In 1966, he was named Realtor of the Year in Albuquerque. In 1995, he was the recipient of the "C.O. Nelson Award" - an award for "Longevity, Professionalism and Service to the Real Estate Community". In 1976, he ventured into politics when elected to the New Mexico Legislature as a State Representative for House District #30 in Bernalillo County. He served 9 consecutive terms during his 18 year tenure in the Legislature. The single most important piece of legislation he authored was the "Mandatory Wage Deduction for Child Support of Divorced Parents." This legislation subsequently became the model legislation for numerous other states. He also succeeded in passing a highly controversial bill - "Grandparents Visitation Rights of Grandchildren of Divorced Parents". He also was a co-sponsor and author of the "Yield Control Bill" limiting property tax increases. Aside from his real estate development activities and his term in New Mexico politics, his interests expanded in 1960 to include his part ownership of the Albuquerque Dukes Baseball Club, an affiliate of the Kansas City Athletics baseball organization. In 1963, as an owner, he established a new franchise relationship with the Los Angeles Dodgers and in 1964 sold the AA Texas League franchise to the Dodgers while retaining his active involvement as Vice President until 1979. Elton Schiller, General Manager of Dodgers Triple A franchise said, "The only way Albuquerque could stay in baseball would be with a new all-purpose stadium. McMullan was really the 'Father' of the idea so to speak. He has been the force behind everything we have done in pro baseball since the Dodgers moved to Albuquerque." For over fifty years, his favorite family event was an annual fishing trip to Gunnison, Colorado to fish the Taylor and East Rivers with his sons and grandchildren. He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth; their four sons, Mike and his wife, Jill and their son, Sean; Kevin and his wife, Marsha and their sons, Matthew and David; and Pat, all of Albuquerque; and Tom and his wife, Julie and their daughters, Maren, Bryn and Molly McMullan, of Atherton, (Silicon Valley) CA. Rosary will be recited Wednesday, 7:00 p.m., at French Mortuary, University Blvd. Chapel. Mass will be celebrated Thursday, 11:00 a.m., at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church, 4020 Lomas Blvd. NE, followed by a private burial at the National Cemetery in Santa Fe. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Barrett House Emergency Center for Women and Children, 10300 Constitution NE, Albuquerque, NM 87112. French Mortuary 1111 University Blvd. NE 843-6333
        Published on: Tue November 08, 2005