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NEW MATERIAL! Uploaded 2020            Ed's Memorial Service - Poem, Music, Video

In Memory of Ed Mullen - the original webmaster of this site
August 13, 1950 - December 9, 2019

Ed Mullen

from Ed's wife,

 

Sharman

 

Ed was a gift to me, a gift I cherished for 48 years.  He was born in Abington, PA; I came from Montreal, Canada.  I chose Penn State for grad school and there I met Ed.

Ed grew up on Highland Ave. as part of a close and loving family:  Ed Sr. of Irish descent, Antonia of Italian descent, and two sisters Fran and Toni.  During Ed’s early years, he chummed with Dave Clausen, and Doug Hargrave. Ed had bought a guitar and clearly had a passion for Gordon Lightfoot as well as other folk musicians.  The love of Gordon Lightfoot led to a close friendship with Marty Erb. Marty and Ed would spend hours playing Gordon Lightfoot’s music as Dave applauded them on.

Ed met Don Pearce when he joined the Barbershop Quartet. He also sang in a Folk Music Group with Don.  They did a few paid engagements, performed on television several times, and even sang at the New York World Fair in 1967.  Perhaps the strongest influence on Ed’s love for music was Director of Vocal Music Bucky Clark. He had enormous respect for Bucky and his death in 2015 crushed Ed.

Working closely with Don, Ed was also webmaster for the class of ‘68 reunions.  To quote Pat Lawrence Bucher, a close friend who today maintains this information on Ed’s website, “Once we graduated, I would not have connected with anybody again if it weren’t for Ed.  A whole lot of us feel that way.  His website and emails were the glue that kept us together.”  Ed’s second love was computers and later in life became well known for his knowledge and belonged to user groups both in the US and elsewhere in the world.

Throughout high school, to quote Don, “Ed was liked by many and admired by those who knew him well. He never ‘caved in’ to peer pressure in high school or anytime in his life for that matter.  Ed had a way of making you feel like you were the only person in the room when he spoke to you.  Ed’s friends knew they could always depend on Ed; whenever he said he would do something he did it and he did it well.”   Pat described Ed as “a pillar of our class. . . . A terrific guy who will be sorely missed by those who knew and loved him — and that includes a lot of people.”

Ed and I wed at the Penn State Chapel.  Ed was working at Penn State’s television station in just about all capacities including director.  Ed also sang professionally at numerous bars, most notably the Corner Room, a dinner club where he met two musicians, Bob Dear and Jon Rounds.  Both had a significant influence on Ed and supported Ed through a very difficult time as Ed coped with the recent death of his father.

We next moved to Maryland close to DC with the intention that Ed would sing professionally full time. And he was very successful until after about a year when he grew very tired of the lifestyle.  Ed then began an executive career at Sony where he was on the cusp of the development of interactive video.

In spite of his success in the corporate world, Ed’s heart was always in his music.  He had also started songwriting.  His sister, Toni, would often talk about the “highlight of his gift of music to his family . . . in 2003 when the Mullen cousins rented an entire B&B in the west of Ireland.  Every nite we gathered to sing along with Ed.”  Ed was one of the founders of the original Lightfoot Tribute Band which played concerts at Cafe Lena in Saratoga Springs, NY.  Ed was also part of a small group of musicians who would meet periodically to play music, sometimes in one of our living rooms.

One of Ed’s dearest friends, Melissa Joe, writes of Ed “I guess my favorite thing about Ed  was his sense of timing — not just with music, not just with humor —  but in life.  Ed knew when to be tenacious and when to let go.  I’ll always be grateful for our friendship and I’ll never stop wishing it could have lasted much longer” — as do we all.  Finally, Don Pearce shares “Ed showed great courage knowing he was in the twilight of his life and remained stoic up to the day he left us.”

I held Ed’s hands when he took his last breath in his home.  He will always live on in our hearts.

Sharman Mullen

From Ed's Dear Friend, Don Pearce

My name is Don Pearce. I've known Ed Mullen for 58 years. We met in 7th grade(Abington Junior) Ed and I became good friends because we sang in a Barbershop Quartet from 7th through 12th grade. Additionally, we sang in a Folk Music group and even did a few paid gigs.

Both Ed and I were heavily influenced by our music teacher Bucky Clark. We got to sing on television numerous times and even sang at the New York world 's fair in 1967!

As Ed 's love for music progressed he became proficient in guitar and became a professional singer. One of Ed's favorite artists was Gordon Lightfoot. Ed did many a show filled with Lightfoot tunes.    

Ed was liked by many and admired by those who knew him well! Ed never "caved in" to peer pressure while in High School or anytime in his life for that matter. Ed had a way of making you feel like you were the only person in the room when he spoke to you. Ed's friends knew they could always depend on Ed...whenever he said he would do something he did it and he did it well!    

Ed and his wife Sharman had me down to their lovely home in Canton, Georgia this past November. We spent 5 days together reminiscing about the "good old days" politics, and personal feelings... Ed showed great courage knowing he was in the twilight of his life and remained stoic up to the day he left us! I'm a better person for having know Ed!

Myself and many others will miss him greatly. Ed will live on in my heart.

 

 

 

Ed passed away on December 9, 2019.
 He was loved and respected by so many for his accomplishments, his generosity, and his
unwavering dedication to his friends and the endeavors he believed in.  
He will be sorely missed but his spirit will live on through us.

In honor of Ed, we will keep this website active with updates and new material.

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