PEARL MULHOLLAND

Pearl L. Howe Mulholland, 94, died peacefully with family Feb. 9 at a nursing home near Racine, WI.
Pearl was born Aug. 16, 1930, in Detroit, MI, to Jake and Crete (Rafnson) Boultinghouse. They moved to Jackson, MN, near Jake’s parents. After graduating from Jackson schools, Pearl taught elementary school in Pierre, SD, before marrying Leo L. Howe in Luverne in 1949.
In 1957, Pearl and Leo moved from Jackson to Goleta, CA, where Pearl was an office manager, and they both were longtime members of the Santa Barbara Lawn Bowls Club. They spent a lot of time in their pickup camper while hiking, hunting, fishing and enjoying the outdoors, frequently with brothers and sisters, nieces, nephews, cousins and other relatives.
Pearl was an excellent photographer, documenting their adventures from the West to East coasts, often venturing into Mexico and Canada, and to all of the states in between. They loved horse races, making frequent trips to tracks near Los Angeles and Mexico.
After retirement, they spent extended vacations with relatives in Minnesota and Wisconsin, rarely missing a family reunion. Pearl recorded them all and frequently shared photos and slide shows with family members and friends at card parties and other events.
Leo died in 2003. Pearl married fellow bowler John Mulholland in 2005. Pearl and John continued frequent travels, including trips to Scotland, Ireland, Bermuda and other countries. John died in 2022.
Pearl was preceded in death by siblings Carol and her husband Bayard Tweedt, Conrad (Bud or Gil) Boultinghouse, Lurea (Lollie) and her husband Russell Kateley, and brother Jerry Boultinghouse.
Her maternal grandmother was Sarah Rafnson, who was born in Iceland in 1878, and emigrated with her parents to a Minneota farm at the age of two.
Pearl’s survivors include her brother V. Chris (Linda) Boultinghouse of Greentop, MO, numerous nieces and nephews, and lots of Rafnson family cousins in the Minneota area.
Pearl was moved from California to the care center in Wisconsin nearly two years ago so she could be near family. Her ashes will be taken to the Goleta Cemetery in Santa Barbara County, CA.