OBITUARY
Howard Mark Mullis
December 26, 1948 – February 3, 2021
IN THE CARE OF
Hopkins - Rector Funeral Home
Howard Mark Mullis, 72, passed away at his home in Greencastle, Indiana on
Wednesday, February 3rd, at 3:40 in the afternoon. He was surrounded by his
family.
Howard was born in Greencastle on December 26th, 1948 to the late Kenneth
Mullis and Virginia (Denny) Mullis.
Although Howard repeatedly expressed disdain for attending school he
managed to stick with it and graduate from Bainbridge High School in 1967.
Howard was a family man. He proved it daily. A dedicated and loving Dad to his
4 children; Stephanie (Ian) Nelson, Leslie (Robert) Helderman, Anthony (Abby)
Mullis, and Elizabeth (Daren) Hodge, all surviving. He was a proud Grandpa to 9
grandkids; Casin, Cole (Nelson), Kennedy, Bryson, Kaden (Helderman), Braxton
(Mullis), Maci, Kaleb, Mason (Hodge).
He married twice. In 1975, he wed Deena Dearinger, the mother of his children.
Together they raised their kids and, despite a divorce, remained close friends
until the day he died. His second marriage was in 2001 to Cathy Adams.
Although ending in divorce, they spent nearly two decades compiling memories
that Howard recalled daily and would speak of with joy.
Howard was a tireless worker. A life-long farmer who never backed down. Offer
him a 100° day and a metal-blade weedeater and he'd attack every overgrown
ditch and fence line on the farm. What would bring most humans to their knees
he embraced. Frequently he remarked, "I need to sweat to feel alive."
He loved cars, trucks, tractors, and tech gadgets (always on the cutting edge).
He was notorious for venturing to small towns around the Midwest on day-long
road trips to view farm machinery, a vehicle, or a mower.
He loved Las Vegas. He felt the air was different and his breathing was easy. He
could walk miles upon miles and never tire. It was not Indiana. It was not the
farm.
He would scoff at turning on the radio but folks, he loved music. He appreciated
the great singers. Andrea Bocelli, Whitney Houston, Celine Dion, and Aaron
Neville moved him to no end.
The wooden bench outside the door to his garage was his sanctuary. There he
could be found watching the sun rise and fall and the traffic pass, always ready
for a bull session.
He had his own unique meter for reading people's character. Off the bat he
knew if he'd appreciate your company. He had limited time and energy and
wasting it on a windbag wasn't his thing.
Howard did not wish to have a memorial service. In general, he was not a fan of
social gatherings so the idea of people gawking at his made-up corpse and
going on about how good he looked boiled his blood. He asked to be cremated
and his ashes spread over the fields of the family farm.
His Dad, Kenneth Mullis, died when Howard was 16. Not a day passed he didn't
think of him. He longed for one more conversation. One more moment.
The consensus of his family is he finally got that moment. The moment became
eternal.
Memories of Howard may be shared at www.Hopkins-Rector.com.
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Howard Mark Mullis
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