Rev. Walter E. Mullen of Phippsburg, Maine, passed away on July 13, 2012 at the age of 88. Rev. Mullen was born in Easton, Nova Scotia in 1923 to Harold and Elsie Mullen. He dropped out of school at age 12 to work in the woods with his father. During his youth, he worked a variety of jobs in the woods and at a steel mill. During World War II, he served as a mechanic in the Canadian Air Force. Following the war, he was called to become a preacher in 1947, and moved to a farm in Woodstock, New Brunswick to earn his high school equivalency degree. He attended Eastern Nazarene College in Wollaston, MA from 1954-1959, earning BAs in Literature and Theology. While at ENC he met Mary Lou Wheeler whom he married on September 4, 1959. Together, they had four children including Lorilee Mullen who died at birth in 1966. As a minister for the Church of the Nazarene, he pastored in Brampton, Ontario, Franklin Centre, Quebec, Newport, RI, North Anson, ME and North Waldoboro, ME before moving to Phippsburg in 1973 to serve in the West Point and Sebasco churches until his retirement in 1992. He also drove a school bus for the Phippsburg School System from 1973 until 1990. Following this, he drove for Park and Ride and the Bath Shuttle Bus until retiring permanently in 2000. From 2000 through 2009, he increasingly cared for his wife Mary Lou as her health deteriorated. After celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary in September 2009, Mary Lou became confined to a nursing home until her death in December of that year. Walter has led a relaxed retirement since then until a series of health issues beginning in February of this year began troubling him. His latest illness proved too much for his fading health, and he passed away in his sleep in the early morning of July 13th. He is survived by his three sons, Stephen of Boston, MA, David of Phippsburg, ME, James and his wife Sara of Phippsburg, ME, and four grandchildren, Karen, Thomas, Jonathon, and Erica. The eldest of 12 siblings, he is also survived by two brothers – Harry Mullen and his wife Ruthie of Easton, NS, and Ronald Mullen of Easton, NS; three sisters – Stella Mullen and Ruth Mullen of Easton, NS, and Gladys Montgomery of Missouri; their families, and numerous other nieces and nephews. Visitation will be held Wednesday, July 18 from 5-7 pm at the David E. Desmond & Son Funeral Home, 638 High Street, Bath, ME. Funeral services will be held Thursday, July 19 at 11:00 a.m. at Bath Church of the Nazarene, 191 Center St, Bath, ME with committal following at Morningside Cemetery in Phippsburg. There will be a reception at Sebasco Nazarene Church following the services. To share your thoughts and condolences with the family, please visit www.desmondfuneralhomes.com