Richard Ivan Mueller

1955 - 2022

Richard Ivan Mueller, P.E., of Hayden, ID, formerly of San Antonio and Dallas, TX and Rancho Cucamonga, CA, left this life for heaven on Friday afternoon, August 5, 2022. Born on June 29, 1955, in San Antonio to Dr. Edwin Lee and Mary Helen Burkhalter Mueller, he was the third of eight children. He was an Eagle Scout, graduated with honors from Robert E. Lee High School, attended Texas A&M as a President's Scholar, graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering in 1977, and earned an MS in Engineering Management at SMU in 1983. Richard joined concrete pressure pipe manufacturer Gifford-Hill-American, Inc. (GHA) in 1977 rising to the position of Vice President, Engineering and Marketing. Throughout his over two decades career at GHA, and continuing as president of the Water Transmission Group of Ameron International Corporation, Richard was "(k)nown as a master of creative ideas, consistently thinking outside of the box". He served his professional societies in executive roles at state and national levels. He received the Engineer of the Year Award from the Dallas Chapter of the Texas Society of Professional Engineers in 2001 and the Zachary Distinguished Graduate Award from Texas A&M in 2011.

Richard married Martha Pulliam in 1979 and had two sons, Michael and Patrick. Despite divorcing, Richard and Martha remained close friends.

After moving to California, Richard met Mary Ellen O'Banion and married in 2004.

Richard was preceded in death by his father, Dr. Edwin L. Mueller, Jr. He is survived by his mother, Mary Helen Burkhalter Mueller of San Antonio, wife Mary Ellen O'Banion of Hayden, ID, sons Michael (Sean) of Freeport, FL and Patrick (Allison) of Dallas, ex-wife and friend Martha Pulliam Mueller of Dallas, siblings: Marylee Kott (Edward) of Houston, Tom (Donna) of Fayetteville, Doug (Melanie) of San Antonio, Frank (Cherie) of San Antonio, Sue Zapalac (Kenny) of La Grange, Steve (Joyce) of Houston and Jim (Kay) of Burnet; many nieces and nephews, and great-nieces and great-nephews.

A memorial service (livestreamed) will be held in San Antonio, Texas on Friday, September 2, 2022 at 11:00am at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church with reception lunch to follow in the Parish Hall. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial donations to Boy Scouts of American (scouting.org), Texas A&M Foundation Honorary & Memorial Gifts (txamfoundation.com), Living Waters International (https://water.cc) or United Way. A memorial is also being planned in Hayden, ID.