Harold F. Mull

Harold F. Mull

Harold F. Mull died on June 15, 2019, in Tucson, Ariz.

He was born Nov. 20, 1919, and raised on his parents’ (Fount and Edith) farm 12 miles east of Anna.

After graduating in 1938 from Anna-Jonesboro Community High School, he joined the U.S. Navy in 1939. While stationed on the heavy cruiser, USS Portland, he discovered both a love for travel and a career in aircraft maintenance.   

He returned to the states in early 1941 and spent most of World War II training other aircraft mechanics, notably on how to service the Hellcat, the Navy’s new fighter plane.  

He served actively until the end of World War II and retired from the reserves as a master chief petty officer in 1965. 

In 1943, met his wife-to-be, Velma Bartruff (the daughter of Ernst and Leona) while on leave in Anna to see his brother, Bob, off to join the Army.  

Harold and Velma were married for 71 years and were kindred spirits in many ways.  

Family and travel were important to both. They took many trips throughout the United States with their children to visit extended family and see the sights.  In their later years they traveled abroad to every continent except Antarctica.  He was 90 when they made their last trip to Africa.

Harold and Velma left Mascoutah in 1969 to live in Annandale, Va., where he spent many years working for the Navy as a logistics engineer.  

He meticulously documented his family’s genealogy and was proud that he could trace his ancestry in the United States to pre-Revolutionary War days. 

He continuously volunteered at his Methodist churches in Illinois and Virginia and was still ushering at age 94. 

He will also be remembered for his passion for naval history and Chicago Cubs baseball.  

A long-suffering fan, 2016 was a banner year for him when the Cubs won the World Series.

He and Velma attended many reunions with former shipmates on the USS Portland, including a 50th anniversary of the end of World War II on Truk Island.  

After retiring he enjoyed leading tours as a docent at the Navy Museum in Washington, D.C.  

Union County always remained “home” for him, and he continued to visit family there every year until travel became impractical.   He regularly attended the annual Sitter family reunions coordinated by Susan Whitemountain until his last one in 2016.  

He is survived by his sister, Mary Lou (Art); a sister-in-law, Norma; children Sue (Mark), Linda (Patricio) and David (Sherry); grandchildren Julie (John), Jennifer, Ellen and Kristen; and a great-grandchild, Connor.

His life will be celebrated at an 11 a.m. service on Saturday, Sept. 28, at Rendleman & Hileman Funeral Home in Anna. Interment will be in the Anna City Cemetery. 

Graveside military services will be conducted by Carroll P. Foster Post No. 3455 of the VFW in Anna and the Navy funeral honor team.

Visitation will be from 10 to 11 a.m. Saturday at Rendleman & Hileman Funeral Home in Anna.

Memorials can be made to the National Kidney Foundation (Kidney.org).  

To view the obituary and to leave online condolences for the family, visit www.rendlemanhilemanfh.com. 

Rendleman & Hileman Funeral Home in Anna is in charge of arrangements.

The Gazette-Democrat

112 Lafayette St.
Anna, Illinois 62906
Office Number: (618) 833-2158
Email: news@annanews.com

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