Joseph Bartholomew Mullin

Joe grew up in Excelsior Springs, MO during the Great Depression. From an early age, he helped support his family—his father Joseph Mullin, his mother Margaret who died when he was 17, and his sister Lucille. Their life centered around Woods Memorial Christian Church, where his father was the custodian. Joe worked with his father to clean and care for the church from his early childhood until his father died at age 80, when Joe was 20. He also delivered newspapers, decorated windows at a dime store, and was a bookkeeper at a bank. During World War II, Joe worked at a factory in Kansas City that built B-25 bombers. After the war, he became a business manager at Chevrolet Motor Co. and began attending Central Presbyterian Church, where he was encouraged to become a minister.

Joe began his first pastorate in Nashville, TN in 1952. He then accepted calls to lead First Presbyterian Church in Paducah, KY (1954-1960) and Harvey Browne Memorial Presbyterian Church in Louisville, KY (1960 to 1969). After a sabbatical for study and travel, he was called to First Presbyterian Church in Greensboro, where he was the lead pastor from 1971 to 1988.

Joe inspired and challenged his congregations, as well as a wide radio audience in Greensboro, by preaching with passion, clarity, humanity, and wit. His sermon topics ranged from personal concerns, such as loneliness, disappointment, and loss, to community and world issues, such as hunger, peace, and race relations. Visit https://vimeo.com/307401601 to hear a sample sermon that illustrates how he drew from both the Bible and the news. His sermons always included a call to action and were often memorable. Days or even years later people could recite the three points he made.

Joe’s central message was that we should love and serve others, and he lived these values. He was a warm, open, and compassionate counselor and was active in leadership roles in the Presbyterian denomination and community organizations. He served on the boards of the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club, United Way, Greensboro Urban Ministry, Habitat for Humanity Advisory Board, American Heart Association, the Well-Spring Retirement Community, and numerous other organizations.

Education was central to Joe’s life and ministry. He graduated from Westminster College in Fulton, MO, and earned Master of Divinity and Theology degrees from Louisville Presbyterian Seminary. He earned a second Master of Theology from Princeton Theological Seminary and a Doctor of Ministry from Union Theological Seminary. He also studied in Edinburgh, Scotland, and served on the boards of St. Andrews Presbyterian College, Stillman College, Westminster College, and Union Theological Seminary.

Among his many honors, Joe was awarded three honorary Doctor of Divinity degrees. He received a Westminster College Achievement Award and a Louisville Presbyterian Seminary Distinguished Alumnus Award. He also received the Brotherhood Award of the Greensboro Chapter of the National Conference of Christians and Jews and the Levi Coffin Award for humanitarian service from the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce. The Joseph B. Mullin Life Center at First Presbyterian Church now bears his name.

His wife of nearly 65 years and the love of his life, Betty Mullin, died in August 2018. He is survived by his children Mary H. (Molly) Mullin of Greensboro, Elizabeth D. (Beth) Mullin of Washington, DC, and Joseph B. (Bart) Mullin, Jr., of Charleston, SC; his son-in-law James J. (Jim) Sandman of Washington, DC; grandchildren Malcolm Kenton, Joseph Sandman, Elizabeth Sandman, and Harold Mullin; and grandson-in-law Jonathan Beam.

A memorial service will be held at First Presbyterian Church in Greensboro on Saturday at 10:00 a.m. with a reception immediately following in the Joseph B. Mullin Life Center.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Habitat for Humanity of Greensboro NC, 1031 Summit Ave, 2W-2, Greensboro, NC 27405.

Online condolences may be offered at www.haneslineberryfuneralhomes.com.