Mary Rose Mueller

Much loved wife, mother, sister, and friend, Mary Rose (Kirby) Mueller departed this life on May 10, 2014, at age 89. She was born in Concord, Tennessee, on August 1, 1924, the daughter of the late Enoch M. Kirby and the late Carrie Keith Kirby. She had two brothers and three sisters. Mary Rose graduated from Farragut High School where she was a scholar, popular socialite, and member of the National Honor Society. Shortly after graduation, with World War II raging, she entered the war effort, finding employment at age 18 as a skilled assembler at Henry Ford's Consolidated B-24 factory at Willow Run near Ypsilanti, Michigan. Mary Rose became part of the now famous work force that produced several complete aircraft per hour during peak production. She specialized in the electrical installation of the aircraft's top gun turret. While there she met the brother of a co-worker, Army Air Corps Aviation Cadet Delbert L. Mueller, who later flew B-24's. They fell in love, were married on February 7, 1945, in the church parsonage in St. Jacob, Illinois, and remained devoted to each other for 69 years until Colonel Delbert Mueller's passing on February 17, 2014. She and Delbert led a rich Air Force life that spanned a more than 32 year career in the service of their country that featured travel and assignments at home and abroad. Mary Rose and Delbert's union produced two sons: USAF Colonel (retired) Gary L. Mueller, MD and USAF Colonel (retired) Kent A. Mueller, BA MA, who both survive her. She is also survived by her brother William Kirby, USN (retired) of Pensacola, Florida, sister Wanda Henderson of Atlanta, Georgia, grandson USAF Captain David L. Mueller, BA MA, of Cannon AFB, New Mexico, granddaughters Sarah A. Mueller, BS MS, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Katherine (Mueller) Heckcrote, BSN RN, of Atlanta, Georgia, daughters-in-law Carolyn R. Mueller, PhD RN, and Brenda T. Mueller, BA, as well as nieces, nephews, and an extended church family at Highland Heights Presbyterian Church, 2855 Morning Sun Road, Cordova, Tennessee, 38016. The Celebration of her Life will be at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, June 28 at Highland Heights Presbyterian Church with the family receiving friends beginning at 1:30 p.m. Donations in lieu of flowers would be appreciated to Mary Rose's church home or The Alzheimer's Foundation.