Bernard Mulliken

UPDATE: The service location will be changed to Sayles Funeral Home, 525 Summer Street, St. Johnsbury, VT. Date is still Thursday, August 8, 2024, 11AM.   Burial will take place when cemetery can reopen after flood damage is repaired.  

Bernard Merle Mulliken passed away on Thursday, July 18, 2024, with his daughter and son-in-law by his side in Lakeland, Florida, where he and Evelyn had made their home for the last 15 years.

Bernie was born on May 24, 1937, to Kenneth Merle and Geneva (Knights) Mulliken. He attended St. Johnsbury schools, enjoyed playing basketball and hanging out with his buddies when he was younger, graduating from the St. Johnsbury Trade School in 1958.

After graduation from The Trade School Bernie served four years with the United States Navy, stationed in Brunswick, Maine, and traveling internationally, spending time in Malta and Italy.

On Aug. 8, 1959, he married Evelyn Wilkie, who predeceased him in October of 2023. After being discharged from the Navy, Bernie and Evie bought their home in St. Johnsbury Center where they resided until 2005 when they sold their home and became snowbirds for several years, wintering in Florida and summering at Sugar Ridge and Moose River campgrounds in Vermont, before becoming full-time Floridians.

Bernie loved watching his kids and grandkids play sports and spent endless hours standing against many a baseball/softball fence yelling encouragement to the kids. “Two hands on the ball!” was a favorite phrase that we all heard often. Whether on a tee ball field or an Allstar field, Bernie didn’t miss many games and loved to support his kids and grandkids from the sidelines.

Bernie was known as “the milkman” for 40 years, starting with Kilfassett Farms, cycling through Idlenot Dairy and the various other owners until HP Hood took over. It was a job many people half his age wouldn’t or couldn’t do. In the early days there was residential milk delivery with the little insulated box out by your front door. His daughters enjoyed the rare opportunities to run the route with him, sitting on inverted milk crates and running the milk to the door. After retirement Bernie continued working hard with a lawn mowing business in the park where they lived. He mowed lawns until age 85 when his failing health and the Florida heat convinced him to focus more on bingo and playing poker with his buddies at the clubhouse.

Bernie and Evie had a great circle of friends they traveled with. In addition to their local outings with Kingdom Kampers, they traveled to National bowling tournaments with their good friends Pat and Everett Berry and Carroll and Marcia Bishop, as well as their yearly trips to Fryeburg Fair.

Bernie is survived by his two children, Tari Gingue and Lisa Hester (Garrett); his grandchildren, Jennifer Gingue (Justin), Katyln Machado (Stephen), Eric Gingue (Erica), Danielle Basile (Michael) and Matthew Gingue (Courtney); and great-grandchildren Carter Gingue, Carlie Greenwood, Katalyna Machado, Elliot Gingue, Owen Basile, Emmett Gingue and Emma Basile. Bernie is also survived by his sisters, Eva Williamson and Dianne Chamberlin (James); his sister-in-law Loraine Hayden; and a special niece, Jessica Chamberlin, who spent a lot of time with Bernie and Evie camping and traveling, as well as several nieces and nephews.

Services for both Bernie and Evie will be held at Mount Pleasant Cemetery on Aug. 8, 2024, at 11 a.m., followed by a gathering at the VFW, St. Johnsbury, Vermont at noon.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to your local Hospice or Dementia care facility.