1925
Raymond
2010
Raymond H. Mullen
May 31, 1925 — September 17, 2010
SIOUX CITY -- Raymond H. Mullen has met his Lord. His family was with him for the few days prior to his September 17 passing. After 85 years of this life, the last several in a struggle with dementia, he has left us to join his friends and family who preceded him in death.
Those he left behind will begin gathering at 4 p.m. on Tuesday afternoon at Christy-Smith Funeral Home at 1801 Morningside Avenue, where a Rosary will be said for him at 7 p.m. His funeral Mass will be celebrated by Father Dan Gunther and Deacon Marcus Potts at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at Immaculate Conception Church in Morningside. His ashes will eventually be interred at Calvary Cemetery.
Ray was born to Grace (Hilbink) and Joseph Mullen on May 31, 1925, in Sioux City. The color of his hair, which remained throughout his life, caused those who knew him to call him Rusty. His boyhood friends called him Ruck. He attended Immaculate Conception School and East High School where he excelled at sports. His family moved for a short time to Kansas City where he also attended school. He loved to play football and to box.
He enlisted in the United States Navy during World War II where he served as a Fire Controlman calling out the ranges for 40 mm guns on aircraft carriers and other warships such as the USS Oregon City. He attended Morningside College after the war where he played football. After stints working on the railroad and driving streetcars, he settled into his lifelong career as a master plumber.
On Easter Day in 1950, while visiting the Avalon Ballroom he asked Laverna Potts for a dance, fell in love and the two became one on Nov. 10, 1951. They raised their children together in Sioux City where in 1976 he and Laverna started R.H. Mullen Company, a successful commercial plumbing, heating and air conditioning business that is still in operation. He remained an avid golfer (he had four holes in one), hunter and a faithful Catholic throughout his life.
Ray and Laverna spent winters in Arizona where they hiked in the Superstition Mountains. His love of driving earned him the privilege of serving as Robert F. Kennedy's personal driver while in Sioux City.
His survivors include his wife, Laverna and their children Susan of Newton, Iowa, Dan and his wife Carol of Sioux City, Janet of Phoenix, Ariz., Nancy of Mesa, Ariz., and Tom and his wife Annie of Montana. He is also survived by 10 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
He was led to his eternal reward by his two grandchildren, who preceded him in death, Alan and Emily and was met in heaven by his baby sister Deloris, his brother Joe "Pat" and daughter Nancy's partner, Eric Hopkins.
Honorary pall bearers are his grandchildren, Amanda and Kelsey Bruns, and Tim, Mike, Dave, Laura, Audrey, Jesse, Joseph "Louie" and Lloyd Mullen.
In lieu of flowers his family requests that donations be made to the Hospice of Siouxland, 4300 Hamilton Blvd. Sioux City, IA 51104 and Immaculate Conception Parish, 1212 Morningside Ave., Sioux City, IA 51106.
He was fiercely loved and will be dearly missed by those privileged to know him.
Those he left behind will begin gathering at 4 p.m. on Tuesday afternoon at Christy-Smith Funeral Home at 1801 Morningside Avenue, where a Rosary will be said for him at 7 p.m. His funeral Mass will be celebrated by Father Dan Gunther and Deacon Marcus Potts at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at Immaculate Conception Church in Morningside. His ashes will eventually be interred at Calvary Cemetery.
Ray was born to Grace (Hilbink) and Joseph Mullen on May 31, 1925, in Sioux City. The color of his hair, which remained throughout his life, caused those who knew him to call him Rusty. His boyhood friends called him Ruck. He attended Immaculate Conception School and East High School where he excelled at sports. His family moved for a short time to Kansas City where he also attended school. He loved to play football and to box.
He enlisted in the United States Navy during World War II where he served as a Fire Controlman calling out the ranges for 40 mm guns on aircraft carriers and other warships such as the USS Oregon City. He attended Morningside College after the war where he played football. After stints working on the railroad and driving streetcars, he settled into his lifelong career as a master plumber.
On Easter Day in 1950, while visiting the Avalon Ballroom he asked Laverna Potts for a dance, fell in love and the two became one on Nov. 10, 1951. They raised their children together in Sioux City where in 1976 he and Laverna started R.H. Mullen Company, a successful commercial plumbing, heating and air conditioning business that is still in operation. He remained an avid golfer (he had four holes in one), hunter and a faithful Catholic throughout his life.
Ray and Laverna spent winters in Arizona where they hiked in the Superstition Mountains. His love of driving earned him the privilege of serving as Robert F. Kennedy's personal driver while in Sioux City.
His survivors include his wife, Laverna and their children Susan of Newton, Iowa, Dan and his wife Carol of Sioux City, Janet of Phoenix, Ariz., Nancy of Mesa, Ariz., and Tom and his wife Annie of Montana. He is also survived by 10 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
He was led to his eternal reward by his two grandchildren, who preceded him in death, Alan and Emily and was met in heaven by his baby sister Deloris, his brother Joe "Pat" and daughter Nancy's partner, Eric Hopkins.
Honorary pall bearers are his grandchildren, Amanda and Kelsey Bruns, and Tim, Mike, Dave, Laura, Audrey, Jesse, Joseph "Louie" and Lloyd Mullen.
In lieu of flowers his family requests that donations be made to the Hospice of Siouxland, 4300 Hamilton Blvd. Sioux City, IA 51104 and Immaculate Conception Parish, 1212 Morningside Ave., Sioux City, IA 51106.
He was fiercely loved and will be dearly missed by those privileged to know him.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Raymond H. Mullen, please visit our flower store.
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