Maureen Barbara (Mulligan) Bricken

July 28, 1937 – April 28, 2023  Maureen Bricken, 85, former first lady of Santa Ana and loving wife, mother and grandmother, passed away peacefully in her home after a lifetime of love and service.

Maureen was born in El Paso, Texas on July 28, 1937 to Samuel and Frances Mulligan. She was the third of six children and the sister of drag racing legend John “The Zookeeper” Mulligan. Her family moved to Southern California in 1941 and she graduated from Huntington Beach High School in 1955. She went on to work for the Santa Ana Chamber of Commerce and was involved in many other city organizations. Maureen wed Gordon Bricken in 1963 and by 1971, they had welcomed four daughters. They would go on to raise their family in Santa Ana for the next 60 years.

Maureen had a passion for community service and actively supported Gordon while he served on the Planning Commission and the Santa Ana City Council. She lived “service before self” and was a valued member of the Rotary Club of Santa Ana. Maureen also worked with her husband for 30 years to build a nationally renowned professional engineering and sound monitoring business.

Maureen was a devoted mother and loving grandmother who enjoyed planning over-the-top holiday gatherings and fancy birthday parties. Her handwriting, gift wrapping, and cake decorating skills were legendary. She was active in all her grandchildren’s lives and loved attending their school, sports, and performance events. Maureen was a faithful member of St. Joseph’s Church in Santa Ana for 60 years, most recently serving as their head usher for Sunday masses. She is preceded in death by Gordon, her husband of 50 years, who passed away in 2013.

Maureen is survived by her four daughters: Barbara Amy (Todd), Mary Poprac (John), Patricia Bricken, and Victoria Gephart (Russ). She is also loved and will be forever remembered by her seven grandchildren: Kalina (24), Alyssa (23), Johnny (21), Rebecca (21), Julia (19), Nathan (18) and Joshua (16). Evening Vigil will be on May 18th at 6:30 p.m. Funeral services will be on May 19th at 10:00 a.m. Both events will take place at St. Joseph’s Church, 727 N. Minter in Santa Ana, CA. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Maureen’s name to The Wounded Warrior Project.

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