OCEANSIDE — A choir at The Hacienda Mission San Luis Rey has become a source of joy, connection and purpose for its members, many of whom are discovering the magic of music later in life.
For husband-and-wife team Sue and Joe Mullane, it’s also a continuation of a lifelong love story centered around music.
The Mullanes, who met as students at The Ohio State University, have been making music together for decades. Sue, a retired nurse and organist, and Joe, a singer, have traveled extensively, balancing their musical passions with careers and family life.
Joe served in the Marine Corps for 27 years, a role that required the couple and their three children to move at least 25 times.
“We were a duo,” Sue said, reflecting on their years of leading music at churches and community events, with her at the organ and Joe providing the vocals.
After retiring in San Diego, the couple endured a devastating fire in 2005 that damaged their Scripps Ranch home, prompting a move to a retirement community in Arizona.
When the COVID-19 pandemic brought increased isolation and Joe faced medical challenges, they returned to San Diego County to live with their daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren in Oceanside.
It was during this period that they watched The Hacienda being built and decided to make it their home. The community offers independent and assisted living, memory care and hospice services.
The Mullanes wasted no time bringing their passion for music to The Hacienda. They launched a chapel choir, the Hacienda Singers, to accompany weekly Catholic Mass, and soon, their efforts expanded to include performances for the broader community.
Last March, the choir performed Irish songs during St. Patrick’s Day festivities, a moment Sue says was particularly special for Joe, whose Irish heritage made the occasion a delight.
By this Christmas season, the choir had grown to 29 members and performed two holiday concerts on Dec. 11, serenading memory care residents in the morning and assisted and independent living residents in the afternoon.
Sue keeps the choir inclusive and simple: members sing in unison unless they want to harmonize, and no prior musical knowledge is required.
“Music is one of the things that stays with folks as they get older,” Sue explained. “The music is still there in the soul and has such an emotional element and memories to it.”
For Joe, music remains a vital connection to his abilities.
“There are a lot of things my husband is not able to do anymore, but singing is one of those things he can do,” Sue said. “For me, music is the way I express my soul and the way I get close to the Lord.”
The Hacienda’s executive director, Mariano Perez, has joined the choir and praised Sue’s efforts to unite residents through music.
“What we’re looking for residents to do is exactly what Sue has done by bringing her hobby into the community and sharing it with others,” Perez said. “It sounded fantastic.”
Perez added that the performances were “joyous” occasions for the entire community.
As the holidays wind down, the Hacienda Singers are already looking ahead to their next opportunity to bring music and joy to their neighbors, continuing to strengthen bonds and build memories, one song at a time.
