Francis Raymond "Mac" McMullen

1926 - 2021

Francis Raymond "Mac" McMullen

1926 - 2021

Francis Raymond "Mac" McMullen was born January 12, 1926 in Emmett, Kansas- the sixth of ten children born to Louis and Pearl (Fitzhugh) McMullen. He left this world at the age of 95 years on May 19, 2021.

Mac grew up on the family farm in Emmett, where there was always plenty of work to be done- he learned the lessons of hard work at an early age. At the age of 17, Mac enlisted in the Army Air Corp, assigned to the 380th Bombardment Group of the 5th Air Force and served as a tail gunner in a B-24 Liberator in the Pacific Theater during WWII. He flew all his missions with his crew and volunteered to stay and fly with other crews when his crew went home. Mac also volunteered as an MP after the war, and was assigned to Ashiya Air Base, passing through Hiroshima within three weeks of Japan surrendering, and saw firsthand the devastation caused by nuclear weapons.

After an honorable discharge in April 1946, Mac attended Washburn University in Topeka. He met Darlene Drenon from Kansas City, Kansas, and they were married on August 9th, 1949. Mac worked many jobs over the years, including nine years at Santa Fe Railway in Kansas City. Mac moved his family to California in 1957 where he worked on ranches in Modoc and Shasta Counties, in particular Whaley Land and Cattle Co. in Lookout and Goose Valley Ranch in Burney. Mac attended Graham's School for Cattlemen in Garnett, Kansas in 1960, always striving to be a better cattleman. He was always a cattleman at heart, owning and showing Simmental Cattle for many years. Mac also worked for Scott Lumber Co. in Burney, in the woods, the mill and pushing logs on the pond as a "Pond Monkey."

In 1967, Mac and Darlene relocated to Saint Helena in Napa County where they owned and operated a Montgomery Wards Catalog Store. Mac was also an experienced heavy equipment operator, a skill he learned working on ranches and during his days as a logger. Mac worked for Harold Smith & Son and other contractors in the St. Helena area, as well as a section of the natural gas pipeline from Canada to Southern California. Mac was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion, Masonic Lodge, and the Operating Engineers Local 3 and various cattlemen associations.

Mac was preceded in death by his wife Darlene, of 49 years. He is survived by two sisters: Betty Parker and Darlene Woodruff, and brother-in-law Jack. He leaves his four children: Carol Behling (Mike), Shirley McMullen, Eileen McMullen Vallerga (Mike), and Craig McMullen (Kay). He also leaves nine grandchildren: Bonnie Behling, Tammy Behling, Joe Behling (Jamie), Kody Hawkins (Angel), Sheena Hawkins, Ernie Fischer (Brandy), Ashley McMullen, Eddie McMullen and Luke McMullen, 13 great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.

Private services were held at the Burney Cemetery on Friday, 5/28/2021 at 1:00 pm. with Military Honors. Donations can be made to a charity of your choice in the name of F.R. "Mac" McMullen