Touched By An Angel

The Angel and her true Love

Tom Mullin Memorial Golf Tournament

This annual event held at the pristine Spanish Hills Country Club in Camarillo was started by Jolyn Mullin in the memory of Tom Mullin, a melanoma patient of JWCI's Dr's. Donald Morton and Steven O'Day. Proceeds benefit melanoma cancer research at the John Wayne Cancer Institute.

On Tuesday, October 21, 2008, my baby sister, Jolyn Mullin received an award from the John Wayne Cancer Institute in Los Angeles. It's called the "Angel Award" - she received it for her long term involvement in fund raising for research in finding the cure for Melanoma.

Baby Sister Jolyn

Jolyn married her true love, Tom (Moon) Mullin , on September 15, 1977 in the Salt Lake Temple. But, she's always been an angel! She was the "baby" of our family - and the "apple" of my mom and dad's eye. She has been a beautiful example of hard work, devotion to her family, to her church, her beliefs, her commitments, and her neighbors. She has truly been an angel in the lives of many.

The Bagley Kids - From left to right - Marty, Polly, Jolyn, Tom

After Tom and Jolyn were married (after a two-year courtship, during which Tom committed to join the LDS Church, wait a year, and then marry in the SL Temple), they lived in Salt Lake for a year while Tom finished school at the University of Utah. Tom came to Utah from the beaches of California, a die-hard "beach boy" tennis player. He played tennis for Harry James at the U, winning WAC Championships and playing in the NCAA Tournament in Athens, Georgia. He met Jolyn at the Canyon Racquet Club, where she worked and Tom played tennis. It was love at first sight - but the parents were a little worried that Jolyn had fallen in love with a "heathen" from California. Not to worry, Tom made the conversion, but he did steal Jolyn away to California, much to June's (her mother) sorrow. They made their home in Thousand Oaks, and sunk deep roots - making eternal friends in the ward and stake and in the tennis community. They also spent their time raising four great kids - Kelly, Willy, Russell, and Kerry. All smart, all athletic, all of them having a great mix of Tom and Jolyn. Tom and Jolyn also searched high and low for a certain girl for Jolyn's older brother, who was getting dangerously close to old age without being married. They found her in the ward they were attending their first year of marriage - where they saw a beautiful brown-eyed dimpled girl named Julie Rawlings - playing the fiddle in a Spring Sing. Six months later, due to Tom and Jolyn, Julie and I were married. We will be ever grateful for their persistence in the search for a bride.

The Mullin Clan

Tom was diagnosed with Melanoma in1993 and fought it like a tiger for six years. Jolyn was always at his side, fighting along with him, driving him to hospitals and doctors' offices, enduring months of experimental chemotherapy, surgeries, still finding time to take care of the four children. Tom finally passed away in July of 1999, leaving Jolyn to continue the fight. Jolyn immediately organized a fund raiser golf/tennis tournament, which has, over the past several years, raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to benefit cancer research. She has also continued raising her children, has four cute grandchildren, served in her church, traveled the world, and continues to watch over not only her own family, but acts as an angel to many friends, neighbors and family.

The Angel - Grandma Jo - with another little angel!

So....to my little sister, who has lived her life with dignity, faithfulness, love, and charity -we love you, Jo, and admire you for all you've done, and are thankful for your great example! Congratulations on this wonderful award - you are truly an angel here on earth - and we're proud of you! And the angels in Heaven, particularly Tom, June, and Jiggs are proud of you! Keep up the GREAT work!