Obituary of Edward Bernard Mullen

Edward Bernard Mullen, a retired engineer and Facilities Planner, passed away unexpectedly on Sunday morning, January 31, 2016. He was 73 years old. Edward was born in Keokuk, Iowa, the son of the late James and Louise Mullen. He was the third generation of Mullens to live in Keokuk and his grandfather, Patrick Mullen, fought alongside General William Tecumseh Sherman during the Civil War. Edward spent his summers working on the family farm. He graduated from Keokuk High School and then earned his engineering degree at the University of Iowa. He later went on to earn his Master’s Degree in Business from the University of Rochester. He worked as the Director of Facilities and Planning at Mt. Auburn Hospital, Cambridge, MA. He also worked as a Facilities Planner at Digital Equipment Corporation, Maynard, MA, helping to design and oversee new properties and production facilities. Digital was sequentially purchased by Compaq Computers and Hewlett Packard, from which he retired in 2002. Edward was a man who was active right up to his passing. He was an automobile enthusiast who in the past volunteered restoring vehicles at the Lars Anderson Auto Museum in Brookline, Massachusetts. He recently worked part time at CAP Auto parts as a driver to keep busy. He was a talented woodworker and took great pride working on and restoring his and his children’s homes. He loved animals, especially dogs, and volunteered his time at the Conway Area Humane Society, in New Hampshire, where he would walk the dogs waiting for adoption. He and his wife enjoyed birdwatching and traveled extensively pursuing their Life List. Their most memorable trips include a three week safari in Kenya and a two week trip in Costa Rica. They took the TransCanada Railway from Winnipeg to Hudson Bay, Canada. They also visited many states, with their favorites being Oregon, New Mexico, Arizona, and Alaska, including Point Barrow which is the northern most point in the United States. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus. Edward was the beloved husband of Jean M. (Leimberger) Mullen for forty seven years. He was the loving father of Patrick Edward Mullen and his wife, Dianna, of Kennebunkport, Maine, and Paul William Mullen of Portsmouth, New Hampshire. He was proud of his sons and their chosen careers serving in federal law enforcement. He was the brother of Patricia Walter and her late husband, Richard of Blakesburg, Iowa, and the late William Mullen of Keokuk, Iowa. Edward was the proud grandfather of Alexandra Shepard, Abigail Jean Mullen of Kennebunkport, Maine, and Braelyn Rose Mullen of Portsmouth, New Hampshire. He was the brother-in-law of William Leimberger of Nashua, New Hampshire; Mary Jo McMannis of Rochester, New York; and Jeffrey Leimberger and his wife, Bonnie, of Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Edward is also survived by several nieces, nephews, and grand-nieces. Funeral from the Edward V. Sullivan Funeral Home, 43 Winn St., BURLINGTON (exit 34 off Rt. 128/95, Woburn side) on Friday, Feb. 5 at 9 a.m. Followed by a Funeral Mass in St. Malachy Church, 99 Bedford St., Burlington at 10 a.m. Visiting hours Thursday from 4-8 p.m. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited. Interment will be private. In lieu of flowers, memorials in Edward’s name may be made to the Conway Area Humane Society, 223 East Main St., Conway, NH 03818.