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Stafford - Robert W. Mullen, 86, of Stafford, went home to be with his Savior on Thursday, (December 27, 2018) at The Grand Rehabilitation & Nursing at Batavia, following a lengthy illness.

Mr. Mullen was born January 26, 1932 in Batavia, a son of the late Earl W. and Terresa (Wooster) Mullen.

Easily recognizable by his trademark Stetson Cowboy Hat, Robert was a long-time member of Northgate Free Methodist Church, and recently was attending Roanoke Community Church in Stafford where he was active as the music director. 

Mr. Mullen was proud of the community in which he lived and spent most of his life living on the Mullen Family Farm in Stafford.

Bob was a farmer.  He and Helen spent three years living in Arizona where he worked as a ranch hand and the two owned a small milk store, the Ro-Kay Dairy.

When an injury prevented him from physically performing farm work, he began coursework at Roberts Wesleyan College.  After obtaining a degree in social work, Robert became a teacher with BOCES and taught special education in several school districts in Monroe County until transferring into the Churchville-Chili Schools where he retired after 22 years in 1994. 

Following his retirement, he took a part time position with BOCES of Genesee County teaching the GED Course at the Genesee Co. Jail where he had an exceptional pass rate.  This was largely due to his unique experiential style of teaching that allowed students to connect with the material in a real-world sense rather than purely hypothetical.  He retired from this position at the age of 80 after 18 years.

A proud but humble man, Bob's passions were farming, horses, and children.  He would often stop to give any child he encountered a quarter and say hello.  He was a 65+ year 4-H Leader and was instrumental in developing the 4-H Tractor and Machine Safety Program in Genesee County.  He was a long time member of the Genesee Co. Fair Board, the Stafford Grange #416, Genesee Pomona Grange #10, as well as the NYS and National Grange.  He served as a Junior Leader with the Stafford Grange. 

He was a longtime volunteer with the Salvation Army and together with Helen was proud to have been a sponsor of a child through International Childcare Ministries for many years.  He was active with the former Genesee Co. Churches United Jail Ministry.  For many years he served as the Stafford Historian and Zoning Officer and was active with the Genesee Co. Senior Foundation.

Due in no small part to all of his associations, volunteer work, and dedication to his community, it is no surprise that Bob was honored as Geneseean of the Year in 2006 by the Genesee Co. Chamber of Commerce. 

He is survived by his wife, Helen H. (Hunt) Mullen, whom he married July 12, 1953; a daughter, Jacqueline (Eladio Montalvo) Mullen of Puerto Rico; sons, Robert W. (Regina) Mullen, II of Stafford, and Richard (Debbie) Spink of CA; brothers, Theodore (late Jane) Mullen of Freeville, and Lester (Barbara) Mullen of Stafford; a sister, Nancy (James) Clarq of Phelps; a brother-in-law, Herbert (Bunnie) Call of LeRoy; sisters-in-law, Gari Mullen of NM, and Dodie Mullen of Australia.  11 grandchildren, 1 great-grandchild, along with several nieces, nephews, and cousins. 

Bob is preceded in death by a great-granddaughter, Jaselis Camacho; brothers, Earl William, Roy, and John Mullen; sisters, Zelda Sipher, Louise Phelps, Lyla Stephens, Eleanor McCrumb, Arlene Call, Mary Ann Mullen, and Ruth Mullen.

Friends may call on Wednesday from 10 to 1 p.m. at H.E. Turner & Co. Funeral Home, 403 East Main St., Batavia, where Robert’s Funeral Service will immediately follow calling at 1:00 p.m.  In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Cornell Cooperative Extension, 4-H Tractor Certification Program, 420 East Main Street, Batavia, NY 14020.  Burial will take place in Morganville Cemetery, Stafford.

Please leave a condolence, share a story or light a candle at www.bataviafuneralhomes.com.

Longtime Juneau resident Vincent L. DeMuth passed away unexpectedly on the afternoon of January 23, 2023. He was born in Buffalo, New York on January 10th, 1939, and was the son of the late Arthur P. and Catherine (Marzolf) DeMuth. He attended school at Notre Dame in Batavia, New York and spent his childhood and early adult life in Darien Center, New York.

As a young man, he worked for the DeMuth-Marzolf Company in Darien Center, New York, which was a general store that also sold fuel, lumber and operated a feed and grain mill. Later, the company also became a distributer and service center for Petrolane Gas Co. and also started DeMuth Tire Sales. Vince managed the propane gas business, his brother Joe DeMuth managed the tire sales, and their mother was the company president who managed the overall company operations.

His father passed away when Vince was only 6 years old, so he grew up fishing and hunting with his cousins and many other longtime friends from his time in New York. As a young man, he dreamed of living in Alaska where the beauty and opportunities for fishing and hunting were legendary. In 1974, he made his dream a reality when he drove his family cross-country to Bellingham, Washington and took the Alaska State Ferry to Juneau, Alaska.

In Juneau, he initially worked for Petrolane Gas Co. but eventually switched to work for the State of Alaska as a maintenance mechanic at the Lemon Creek Correction Facility where he worked until his eventual retirement.

Although he enjoyed many hours in the field and had many great hunting memories, he truly loved being out on the water fishing from his boat and taking in the beauty and sounds of Alaska. He landed many big fish during his lifetime including the 1988 Golden North Salmon Derby Winner and again in 1989 when he helped a friend land the derby winner on his boat. He also loved to travel and ventured to many places throughout Europe, Asia and across the US with his sweetheart Phyllis.

He was preceded in death by his father and mother, Arthur and Catherine DeMuth and brothers Arthur W. DeMuth and Joseph L. DeMuth. He is survived by his wife Phyllis (Atkins) DeMuth, former spouse Karen (Hoy) Balduf, sister Joan Ansbrow (late James); children Chris (Becky) DeMuth, John (Andrea) DeMuth, Wendy Balduf, Renee (Ron) Mullen, Jennifer Warner, Todd (Alice) Nottingham, and Lori Nottingham (Dale Sams); grandchildren Travis (Olivia), Larissa (Jeff), Kieran, Citabria, Britney, DJ, Lindsey (Chris), Josh, Bailey, Morgan (Kyle), Rian (Jimmy) and Wesley (Scott); and many great-grandchildren.

Vince always had a smile on his face and was a great friend to many who benefitted from him being a prolific "pack rat" and a regular listener to the radio program "Problem Corner" were he acquired many great "deals" and treasures over the years. Most of all, he was a patient, loving man who was a wonderful husband, father, grandpa, mentor and role model whom we miss dearly.