LESLIE VERNON “SONNY” McMULLEN, OF VULCAN PASSED AWAY APRIL 1, 2001 AT THE VULCAN COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTRE AT THE AGE OF 78 YEARS.
SONNY WAS BORN MARCH 26, 1923 IN PORTLAND, OREGON TO WILLIAM AND MAE McMULLEN. AT ONE YEAR OF AGE HE MOVED WITH HIS FAMILY TO THE EASTWAY DISTRICT. HE ATTENDED UNION JACK SCHOOL FROM GRADE ONE THROUGH GRADE NINE. AFTER COMPLETING HIS EDUCATION HE WORKED AS A FARM HAND FOR DAVE LEWIS FOR A YEAR WHERE HE LEARNED TO SHOW SHEEP. SONNY THEN WORKED FOR A TIME FOR HIRST GOLDTHORPE SR. WHEN THE WAR BROKE OUT HE ENLISTED IN THE ARMY AIRFORCE AND WAS STATIONED AT PEARL HARBOR FOR A YEAR WORKING AS A AIRPLANE MECHANIC AND A FLIGHT ENGINEER, HE WAS THERE WHEN THE JAPANESE ATTACKED IN DECEMBER 1941. CONTINUING TO SERVE HIS COUNTRY HE SERVED IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC IN AUSTRALIA, FIGI AND AGAIN IN HAWAII. FOLLOWING HIS POSTING IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC HE WENT TO OKINAWA INSTRUCTING ON AIRPLANE ENGINES. FOLLOWING WORLD WAR II HE MARRIED LOTUS WEST IN VERNONIA, OREGON WHERE HE WORKED DOING MANY ODD JOBS. HE WORKED IN MACHINE SHOPS, WAS TOWN POLICE MAN, DUG GRAVES, COASTAL DREDGE AND TRIED HIS HAND AT MINK FARMING. SONNY WAS WORKING IN A SAWMILL WHEN THE KOREAN CONFLICT BROKE OUT. ONCE AGAIN HE FELT THE NEED TO SERVE HIS COUNTRY. IN 1960 UPON RETURNING FROM WAR HE MOVED HIS FAMILY TO HILLSBORO AND AT THAT TIME SONNY AND LOTUS SEPARATED, LATER DIVORCING. FOR FOUR YEARS HE WORKED IN A WAREHOUSE FOR SAFEWAY AND THEN IN A SAWMILL IN TACOMA FOR A YEAR AND A HALF. FROM 1966 TO 1970 HE SIGNED UP WITH THE UNITED STATES NAVY AS A TRANSPORTER OF TROOPS TO VIETNAM. HE SAILED ON FIVE SHIPS INCLUDING TWO AIRCRAFT CARRIERS, ONE TROOP SHIP WAS AMONG THE LARGEST TROOP SHIP AFLOAT. IN 1971 HE RECEIVED A MEDICAL DISCHARGE AND IMMEDIATELY RETURNED TO CANADA TO THE EASTWAY DISTRICT TO HELP HIS FATHER FARM. ON MARCH 20, 1991 HE MARRIED HELEN THARLE IN BANFF AND TOGETHER THEY LIVED ON THE FAMILY FARM OPERATING BOTH GRAIN AND CATTLE. IN JUNE OF 1999 THEY MOVED TO CAYLEY AND RETURNED TO VULCAN IN THE SUMMER OF 2000 WHERE HE HAS CONTINUED TO RESIDE SINCE.
SONNY WAS A BOXING ENTHUSIAST. WHILE IN HAWAII SONNY TOOK UP BOXING AND WAS CHAMPION OF THE LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION. IN 1945 HE WON A GOLD MEDAL IN A SERVICE MEN’S TOURNAMENT. HE ALSO BOXED AT GOLDEN GLOVE, HAMILTON FIELD AND FOUGHT AT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN. IT WAS STATED THAT HE HAD A DEADLY LEFT THAT COULD TAKE DOWN ANY MAN. HE CONTINUED TO STAY IN SHAPE BY LIFTING WEIGHTS AND WATCHING HIS DIET. HE ALSO LIKED FARMING, TRAVELLING AND LOVED STRAWBERRIES. HE ESPECIALLY ENJOYED VISITING WITH PEOPLE.
IN HIS YOUNGER YEARS HE WAS A MEMBER OF THE ODD FELLOWS IN VERNONIA, OREGON AND WAS A LIFETIME MEMBER OF THE AMERICAN LEGION AT SWEET GRASS, MONTANA.
BELOVED HUSBAND OF WIFE HELEN McMULLEN OF VULCAN, LOVING FATHER OF THREE DAUGHTERS LOTUS LEE McMULLEN OF PORTLAND, OREGON, ILENE (JERRY) PHILLIPS OF ALOHA, OREGON, SILVIA (STEVEN) CAMPS OF ELK RIVER, MINNESOTA, A SON TOM (LADONA) McMULLEN OF YACOLT, WASHINGTON, FIVE SISTERS W ILLIENA TWISS, NEOMA (VILNES) NAGLINS, PATRICIA LUCORE (ALVIN VAN DYKE), ALL OF OREGON, MARJORIE (LARRY) LANG OF AIRDRIE, EVIE (BILL) CHOMA OF CALGARY, MOTHER-IN-LAW CLARA (KEN) BJORNSON OF VULCAN, BROTHER-IN-LAW DAVID (BARBARA) THARLE OF ARDMORE, SEVEN GRANDCHILDREN, SIX GREAT GRANDCHILDREN, A SPECIAL COUSIN DOROTHY MYERS OF MEADOWLAKE, SASKATCHEWAN, NUMEROUS NIECES AND NEPHEWS.
SONNY WAS PREDECEASED BY HIS PARENTS, AN INFANT BROTHER CALVIN AND A BROTHER-IN-LAW NORMAN TWISS.
FUNERAL SERVICE THURSDAY APRIL 5, 2001 AT 2:00 P.M. AT CENTRAL CHURCH OF CHRIST, VULCAN WITH REV. DOUG BARRIE OFFICIATING.
HONORARY BEARERS LANCE ANNDERSO AND NORMAN MARSHALL.
CASKET BEARERS TOM McMULLEN, BOB CHOMA, BARRY CAMPBELL, BOB COCKWILL, DENNIS GOOCH AND JERRY PHILLIPS.
INTERMENT VULCAN CEMETERY.
IF FRIENDS SO DESIRE TRIBUTES IN SONNY’S MEMORY COULD BE MADE TO THE CHARITY OF YOUR CHOICE.
ARRANGEMENTS IN CARE OF VULCAN FUNERAL HOME. DIRECTORS. PHONE 485-2633. E-MAIL CONDOLENCES TO vulcanfuneralhome@hotmail.com.