George W. Mulling

George W. Mulling, 93, of Marietta died Sunday, July 20, 2014. Entombment Services will be held 2:00 p.m., Wednesday at Cheatham Hill Mausoleum Chapel with Dr. Sam Matthews Officiating. Mr. Mulling grew up in Baxley, GA as a descendant of land-grant pioneer Benjamin Leggett of Appling County who owned over 2000 acres. Mulling still owned a portion of the original tract bordering the Altamaha River and had deeds from the first land grant to the present. His father, Claude Mulling [deceased], planted the first pine tree forest in the area on that land and was a leader in early land conservation farm practices. He has been a resident of Marietta since 1950. He was a lifelong member of the United Methodist Church where he served on the board of Marietta First Methodist and was a former president many times of the Fellowship Sunday School class. Mr. Mulling was a lifelong advocate of vocational technical education, George served in many facets of educational administration. He was profoundly interested in vocational education and felt that each student should be prepared to go into the field of work, especially if the student did not plan to attend college. His mother, Minnie Reddish Mulling and two brothers also predeceased him, Claude “Pug” Mulling, a Ford dealer, and Frank H. Mulling, an accountant professor at the University of Georgia and Virginia Tech. He was also predeceased by a great-grandson, Rylee Hunter Mulling, an infant. Mr. Mulling graduated from Baxley High School, and attended what is now Georgia Southern University. He was president of each class – freshman through senior. He was president of his fraternity. He was also elected to Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities. Following service in the U.S. Navy, he began his career as a teacher of Science and Industrial Arts in Baxley High School then as a teacher of Industrial Arts and Industrial Cooperative Training in Thomasville High School. He and his wife attended University of Missouri in Columbia where they both received their Masters’ Degree. In 1950, he was employed as an assistant supervisor of Trade and Industrial Education in the State Department of Education in Atlanta. He subsequently served under three state superintendents, M.D. Collins, Claude Purcell, and Jack Nix. From 1972 to 1978, he was also director of the only two State operated Vocational Schools in Americus and Clarksville. He also was director for the school for the Deaf in Cave Springs and the School for the Blind in Macon. Later he directed the state’s educational components of the Manpower Development and Training Act and the Appalachian Regional Development Act in conjunction with the Georgia Dept of Labor. He was appointed as State Director of Vocational and Technical Education in 1966. When he began his state vocational work there were only two vocational schools in the state. When he retired in 1978, Mulling had been instrumental in establishing the statewide system of vocational technical schools (now identified as Technical Colleges) and comprehensive high school programs leaving a total of 31 – one of which was Chattahoochee Tech in Marietta. As State Director, vocational education encompasses programs in Agriculture, Home Economics, Business Office, Distributive and Adult Education programs – literacy and general educational development. He was invited to lecture all over the county and had friends in many states. His staff was continuing to visit him at home even just a few years before his death. He was a member of several state and national professional and civic organizations. He was a Life Member of the Georgia Vocational Association, Life Member of the American Vocational Association, National Society of State Directors Association, Georgia Industrial Arts Association, Lions International and the Kiwanis Club. He was honored by being installed in the Hall of Fame in the Georgia Vocational Association. After retirement, he along with his wife, was a world traveler visiting nearly all of the Scandinavian, most European, and Asian countries. George could have been a farmer for he had a love of the outdoors and gardening. He bought a Massey Ferguson tractor, put on his jungle helmet, and would plow the garden and bush hog the field. He grew many vegetables, raspberries, blackberries, grapes, and blueberries. He had a fig orchard and enjoyed fig preserves and blueberry jam that he and his wife made. He was a real family man and did not have a selfish bone in his body. He was always generous, kind, thoughtful, and a true southern gentleman. Anyone meeting him was always impressed by his manner and came to his wife to tell her how much they thought of him – even on first impression. He was a mentor and fabulous role model for his son, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and all who came under his leadership through work and play. Mr. Mulling is survived by his son, Mark Mulling and his wife, Beth of Marietta; four grandchildren, Jason Mulling and his wife, Hope, and their children, twins, Dylan and Kayla, and Lily Mulling of Gainesville, Jessie Kittle and her husband, Jeremy of Dahlonega, Jake Mulling of Marietta, and Jamey Mulling of Marietta. Flowers are appreciated, but contributions may also be made in memory of Mr. Mulling to the American Cancer Society, 1825 Barrett Lakes Blvd #280 Kennesaw, Ga 30144. Family will receive friends 6:00 – 8:00 p.m., Tuesday at the residence of George Mulling. Mayes Ward-Dobbins Funeral Home in Marietta will be handling the arrangements. www.mayeswarddobbins.com 770-428-1511

George W. Mulling

June 4, 1921 - July 20, 2014