in death by her husband, Wilbur E. Mullen, and is survived by her four daughters, her German
exchange daughter, eleven grandchildren, three great grandchildren, and family members
throughout the U.S.
Lena Belle was born Sept. 20, 1920 on the prairie near Bartlesville, OK just after women got the
right to vote. Her parents Beatrice Yaney Olwin and Chester A. Olwin welcomed her on an
unseasonably hot day. Lena Belle’s family and life were rooted in the Church of the Brethren
and its foundation of service and peace work.
A McPherson College graduate, Lena Belle taught home economics before moving to Elgin, IL
where she worked with Brethren Service for ten years. In 1952 she married Wilbur E. Mullen
and the couple continued their charitable work together in Germany, Switzerland and in the U.S.
as they raised their family.
A move to Greenville, OH in 1972 brought Lena Belle back to her Olwin roots in the area. Her
research resulted in the proud publication of Johann Werner Ohlwein, 1756-1829: A Genealogy
of the Olwine/Olwin Families in America in 1987.
Lena Belle was a longtime member of Oakland Church of the Brethren and the League of
Women Voters. She was an expert seamstress and homemaker. She loved watching basketball,
perhaps reliving her days as an all-star high school point guard. Her mind was kept sharp by
working a daily crossword puzzle. Above all, Lena Belle cherished her family and friends,
sharing with them her wit, creativity, kindness, and independent spirit.
A celebration of Lena Belle’s life will be held at 1:30 PM August 4, 2018 at the Brethren
Retirement Community Chapel. In lieu of flowers, donations in Lena Belle’s 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 being handled by Zechar Bailey Funeral Home, Greenville, Ohio.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18