Mr. Martin "Jack" Mullen

Martin John Mullen, 91, died on Friday January 22nd, at Kimball Farms Nursing Care Center, where he resided. The cause of death was complications from Lewy Body Disease. The only child of the late Martin Thomas and Gertrude Ryan Mullen, Mr. Mullen was born in Adams, Massachusetts January 18, 1925. Mr. Mullen was President of Mullen Bros., Inc. of N. Adams, an interstate trucking company established in 1880 by his grandfather. Mr. Mullen was a founding agent of the Aero Mayflower Transit Company, and served as President of the Mayflower Warehousemen's Association. In this capacity, Mr. Mullen was instrumental in building the Mayflower brand into the most recognizable name in long-distance moving. A business and civic leader for more than 40 years, Mr. Mullen served on many boards often in the capacity as an officer. Among those boards were The Agricultural Bank, The Massachusetts Movers Association, Berkshire County Development Corporation, The Massachusetts Society for The Prevention of Cruelty to Children, The Berkshire Traffic Association, and the Greater Chamber of Commerce of North Adams. Mr. Mullen was a member of the Elks and a past Exalted Ruler, a member of the North Adams Country Club, Pittsfield Country Club, Lions and Rotary. He also served on the Committee to Build and Operate Charles H. McCann School of Vocational Education, as well as serving on the Original Committee for the Flood Control Project under then-President Truman. Mr. Mullen enjoyed politics throughout his life and attended President John F. Kennedy's Inauguration and often visited Congress on matters concerning the Transportation Industry and his community. He held many political functions at the family home on South Mountain Road including a reception for Presidential Candidate Birch Bayh. Mr. Mullen enjoyed parades, often having large, well-produced, floats in the Fall Foliage and 4th of July Parades, accompanied with his collection of antique moving trucks and cars, and recruiting as many family and neighborhood kids to ride along. Jack enjoyed grilling steak in the back yard on South Mountain with his family, and a good football game often at West Point watching Army, or at the then Boston Patriots in Boston, having season tickets for both. Mr. Mullen was graduated from Drury High School in North Adams where he captained the football team and lettered in three sports for three years. He attended Riverside Military Academy in Gainesville, Georgia on a football scholarship. Mr. Mullen, at 18, then enlisted in the Army Air Forces and served with the 494th Fighter-Bomber Squadron of the 48th Fighter-Bomber Group. During WWII Mr. Mullen fought in the air offensive in Europe, Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, and Ardennes. Mr. Mullen is a recipient of The Soldiers Medal, awarded for rescuing Airmen from a crashed and burning aircraft while the plane's ordnance exploded. Just before going into the service, Mr. Mullen met Geraldine Shaw of Adams in the Crest, the town's most popular ice cream parlor. They were married Feb 18, 1945, just after he was discharged from the service, and made their life and their family's home in The Berkshires. Mr. Mullen spent his early life in North Adams. In 1967, he moved the family to South Mountain Road in Pittsfield. In their later years, Jack and Gerry would spend winters in Marco Island, Florida. Survivors include children Barbara Devine (Jack); Shannon Kirby; Mary Mullen (Laurence Oberwager); and Martin (Denise), seven grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren. Mr. Mullen was predeceased by his wife, Geraldine Mae Shaw, who died on November 1, 2012 and by his daughter, Sheila Ryan Uccellini, who died on August 10, 2011. Mr. Mullen was also predeceased by sons-in-law Thomas S. Barnes, Walter F. Uccellini, and Thomas F. Kirby. FUNERAL NOTICE: There are no calling hours. Memorial and Burial Services for Martin John Mullen will be Thursday January 28th and are private for the family. In lieu of flowers, Memorial Contributions may be made to an Educational or Charitable Organization of your choice.