Wilbur E. Mullen (October 12, 2014)

Wilbur E. Mullen of Greenville, OH died peacefully at the age of 96 on Sunday, October 12. He is survived by his wife of nearly 62 years, Lena Belle Olwin Mullen, their daughters Joan (Tom) Mullen Woods of Portland, OR, Jacquelyn (Bill) Morrissey of Anchorage, AK, Judy (Mitch) Roth of Greenville, OH and Jeanne (Jim Lunt) Mullen of Berkeley, CA, his grandchildren Moya Woods, Haley Morrissey, Benjamin (Megan) Hart, Michelle Hart, Allyson (Nate) King, Ashlynn Roth, Morgan Lunt and Tobias Lunt, his great-grand-daughters Ella Hart and Addison Hart, his sisters Janet (William) Hoffman of Windber, PA and Winifred Donaldson of Goodlettsville, TN, his sister-in-law Mardell Mullen of Davidsville, PA and his many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by brothers Edgar and Gerald Mullen.

Wilbur was born in Windber, PA, the son of Nellie Johns Mullen and John Edward Mullen and as a young man, began upon his path of peacemaking and Christian service. A lifelong member of the Church of the Brethren, Wilbur participated in volunteer work camps in Europe and Civilian Public Service. He graduated from Manchester College in Peace Studies, earned a Master’s Degree in Social and Technical Assistance from Haverford College and became an ordained minister in 1954. He worked in various capacities in Europe and in the US with Brethren Volunteer Service and on the Brethren Service Commission, World Ministries Commission of the Church of the Brethren General Board in Elgin, IL, before moving to Greenville in 1972 to join the administration at the Brethren Retirement Community. As CEO he shepherded the BRC through bankruptcy and restructuring, allowing the Home to strengthen and thrive.

Wilbur was a longtime member of the Rotary Club of Greenville and served within numerous church, community and professional organizations. In 2010, he was named Outstanding Senior Citizen of Darke County and was inducted into the Ohio Senior Citizens Hall of Fame the following year. Always active, Wilbur delighted in challenging anyone of any age to a game of tennis, racquetball, handball, golf, pool or corn hole and in later years, Wii bowling, utterly delighting in the camaraderie and sport. He devoted his life to serving others, fostering connections and tolerance between people and furthering peace.

A celebration of Wilbur’s life will be held in the months ahead. In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to On Earth Peace, www.onearthpeace.org, P.O. Box 188, New Windsor, MD 21776-0188 or the Resident Aid Fund of the Brethren Retirement Community, www.bhrc.org, Brethren Retirement Community, Department of Fund Development, 750 Chestnut St., Greenville, OH 45331. Arrangements are under the direction of Zechar Bailey Funeral Home in Greenville, Ohio. Condolences for the family may be expressed through www.zecharbailey.com