Mullen, Barbara (Segal); The powerful, intelligent, creative, witty, inexplicable, unexpected and loving force of life known as Barbara (Segal) Mullen, took her last breath peacefully at home in Pittsburgh PA on March 31, 2019, at the age of 81. She is survived by her two children Blair Cristie Ebadi-Mullen and Reid James Mullen; their spouses Amin Ebadi and Teresa Ann Phipps, her brother Gerald Segal and grandson Matteen Olivier Ebadi and her beloved caretaker Kamala Dawn (Baur) Gibb. Barbara was born November 7, 1937 in Pittsburgh PA to Anne (Weinberg) Segal and Samuel Segal. She attended boarding school at Moravian Academy and then moved to New York City where she attended Parsons School of Design. She was lured back to Pittsburgh as, per the Jewish tradition, her mother set her up on a blind date with a “promising” young man named Robert Throckmorton Mullen. At the end of their first date, he proposed marriage to her…when you know, you know. They shared 45 years of love and laughter until he passed away on Feb 19, 2003. Barbara obtained her Bachelor of Fine Arts from Carnegie Mellon University and worked as an artist her entire life. She was a loving and devoted wife, mother and best friend to her two children. She will be remembered with warmth, love and laughter as the larger than life person that she was who firmly set the example for her children to always walk to the beat of your own drum. In her old age she needed a walker but insisted upon still wearing her 4” high heels, at 78 she was still climbing ladders to paint the ceilings of rooms in her house. She loved to scavenger for hidden treasures in thrift stores, and to hold onto useless items as she often said, “I might need that for something later”. She lived every day of her life to the fullest until the end. A celebration of Barbara’s life will be held in a private family service at a later date. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Doctors without Borders or Alzheimer’s Research. Arrangements entrusted to Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc., family owned and operated. www.schugar.com
