Eugene Mueller

Eugene William Mueller passed away peacefully on October 7, 2025, at Moore's Adult Foster Care in Charlotte, MI. Born on September 26, 1938, in Bay City, MI, to Raymond and Theda (Short) Mueller, he attended school at Trinity Lutheran School in Reese and Michigan Lutheran Seminary in Saginaw, graduating in 1956. He then graduated from Alma College in 1960 with a degree in business administration. Eugene married his wife Catherine (Beller) on June 25, 1960, and they lovingly raised five children in Reese, where Gene was an active member of Trinity Lutheran Church, serving on the church board and the Trinity Endowment Fund. He also served on the Reese Village Council and the Blumfield-Village of Reese Water Authority, the latter which brought water to the village in 1971. Gene enjoyed golfing and the Michigan outdoors, and especially loved spending time with his family and friends at the Mueller family compound in northern Michigan. In 1995, Gene and Cathy moved to Au Gres, MI, where they enjoyed family and friends at their home on Saginaw Bay, and then moved to Corunna in 2021. Gene was a former member of St. John Lutheran Church in Au Gres, and a current member of St. Philip Lutheran Church in Owosso.
Eugene was chief executive officer until 1995 of the Mueller Bean Company, a leading agricultural commodities company whose primary business was receiving, storing, processing, marketing, and shipping several varieties of dry edible beans. Mueller Bean operated offices and branches throughout Michigan as well as several Midwest states. The original company, Wm. Mueller & Son, Inc., was founded by Gene's grandfather William and father, Raymond, in 1937, as a small feed, seed, and grain business at the Arthur rail siding near Reese, the site of which became the company's headquarters for many years. In 1980, Mueller Bean joined two other companies to negotiate and export dry beans in the largest-ever commodity export contract from the state of Michigan. Eugene also served for a time as chairman of the Michigan Bean Shippers Association. Mueller Bean was sold in 1995, and the Reese site is currently the location of ADM Edible Bean Specialties.
Eugene is survived by his beloved wife of 65 years, Catherine; children Michael Mueller of New York, NY; Mark (Christine) Mueller of Owosso, MI; Matthew Mueller (Carrie) of Pinconning, MI; Todd Mueller of Warwick, RI; and Janine Coaster (Brent) of Traverse City, MI; grandchildren Ryan (Alison) Mueller, Alaina (Alex) Burrus, Evan (Jessica) Mueller, Zachary Mueller; Ava, Briton, Maisie, and Bowen Coaster; and great-granddaughter Cora Burrus; brother, Vernon (Judy) Mueller of Reese, MI, and sister Pamela (Ken) Baker of Frankenmuth, MI; sister-in-law Wendy (Dennis) LaFond of Saginaw, MI, and brother-in-law Lee (Laura) Beller of Virginia Beach, VA; many nieces and nephews.
The family would like to give special thanks and gratitude to the wonderful caregivers at Moore's Adult Foster Care in Charlotte, MI.
Funeral services for Eugene will take place 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, October 14, 2025, at Trinity Lutheran Church, Reese, with internment in Trinity Lutheran Cemetery. Family and friends will gather at the Ware-Smith Woolever Funeral Home, 9940 Saginaw St., Reese, on Monday, October 13, from 3:00-7:00 p.m., and at the church on Tuesday from 10:00 a.m. until the time of service. A luncheon will be hosted after the funeral services at Trinity.
Those wishing to make a donation may want to consider St. Philip Lutheran Church of Owosso, MI.
All of us at Ware Smith Woolever are honored that the Mueller family has entrusted us with the care of their loved one.