Donald J. Mullett

Donald Joseph Mullett 90 of Corvallis, Oregon. Donald was born on January 18, 1918 in Sprague, Washington, to Joseph Lambert Anderson Mullett and Margaret Estelle Moylan. In 1924 the family moved to Portland. Don and his two sisters attended St. Philip's and St. Francis Catholic schools. Don attended Grant High School and after school washed pots and pans and dishes at his parent's restaurant. He attended Benson High School for one year and completed High School at Washington. After graduation Don found a job at Meier & Frank for thirty cents an hour. In 1937 he decided to attend Oregon State College in Corvallis. During college he was employed in the Memorial Union dining room, with a second job in the library. During school vacations he worked at Meier & Frank and summers he worked as a fire lookout in Washington State. He graduated in 1941 with a degree in Animal Science and a major in Range Livestock Management. Commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Army in May of 1941, he spent most of his active duty time at Camp Stoneman in Pittsburg, California. After five months he was promoted to 1st Lieutenant and served as Quarter Master Officer for the Port of Embarkation for troop's enroute to the Pacific. Don was promoted to Captain in 1944, and discharged in January 1946 as a Major in Field Artillery. In college he met Helen Karamanos. In April 1943 Helen and Don were married at St. Mary's Cathedral, and recently celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary. Don found work with the Federal Land Bank as an appraiser at a salary of $225.00 a month. His first assignment was the appraisal and disposition of Camp Adair. In 1948 Don and Helen purchased a small farm that was on the Adair property. The house had no windows or doors, blackberry vines grew through the openings, there was no heat, plumbing or electricity. Together with Don's Father, Lambert, and with help from Helen's Father, John Karamanos, they worked hard to make it into the Home they have lived in for more than 60 years. They raised their six children on the farm. Don's had prize winning Quarter horses, Polled Herefords, and other livestock. Don praised his wife as a wonderful woman who never complained and who could always be counted on to do the right thing. He has said she was the best thing that ever happened to him. Don is survived by his sister Marietta Lynch of Portland, OR, his wife Helen of Corvallis, and their children; Karin Schneider of Newberg, OR, Michael Mullett and Marcia Mann of Corvallis, OR, Mathew Mullett of Bellingham, Washington, Mark Mullett and Maureen Stover of Corvallis, 19 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. Don was a Deputy for the Benton County Mounted Sheriff's Posse, served on the Benton County Fair Board, and has been a major donor to Oregon State University.