Rev. Charles Mullins

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Rev. Charles David Mullins, age 90, of Helena died on Dec. 13, 2008.
He is survived by Sara Young Mullins, his wife of 66 years; three children, David Mullins (Jacque) of Johnson City, Tenn., Laurita Mullins Miller (David) of Birmingham, and Leanne Mullins Sharp (Michael) of Atlanta; seven grandchildren, Julie Stauss of Nashville, Tenn., David Miller Jr. of Birmingham, Brooke Mullins of Elizabethton, Tenn., Sara Leah Pihakis of Cincinnati, Ohio, Bethany Edmond of Mobile, and Britanny Sharp and Brandon Sharp of Atlanta; two great-granddaughters, Taylar and Holly Stauss of Nashville; and one brother, Kenneth Mullins (Irene) of Helena.
Charles was preceded in death by his parents, Luther Cross Mullins and Nell Davidson Mullins; and four siblings, L.C. Mullins, Marguerite Martin, Bill Mullins, and Alfred Mullins.
Charles was born in Helena on Jan. 3, 1918. He graduated from Thompson High School.
He was a graduate of Howard College, now Samford University in Birmingham, and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky.
Before International Missionary appointment, he served two Alabama Baptist churches (West Highland Baptist Church in Andalusia and Sixty-Sixth Street Baptist Church in Birmingham).
In 1955, he and Sara were appointed by the International Mission Board (Southern Baptist Convention), with which he served as a missionary pastor in Kahului, Maui and Waianae, Oahu in Hawaii for 23 years and in Macao, East Asia for five years.
Upon retirement in 1982, Charles and Sara returned to Birmingham, where they were members of Ruhama Baptist Church and he served as a teacher for the men’s Gideon Sunday School Class for 12 years.
He also taught ESL to local Vietnamese residents and was pastor to the Vietnamese congregation of the Woodlawn Baptist Church for several years.
During his career and in retirement, he preached in various international mission crusades in Korea, Taiwan, and Japan.
In 1990, Charles and Sara moved back to his hometown of Helena, where he was a faithful member of First Baptist Church of Helena.
He taught the Senior Men’s Sunday School Class and led worship for the Maplewood Lane Assisted Living Center.
During his many years of Christian ministry, Charles made time for several hobbies and interests.
He was an avid golfer, having played some of the most beautiful courses throughout the United States, Hawaii, the Orient, and Costa Rica.
He also created many landscape and still life oil paintings, a number of which are on local display in Helena.
Visitation was held on Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2008 from 12 noon until 1:30 p.m. at First Baptist Church of Helena.
The funeral was held at 2 p.m. at the church following visitation. Burial followed in Helena City Cemetery. Dr. J.D. Davis and the Rev. Clint Wood officiated.
Memorial gifts may be made to The Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for World Missions through First Baptist Church of Helena.