Dr. Leon Charles Mulling
Wednesday, March 2nd, at Linda Vista
Nursing and Rehab Center. Dr. Mulling was
born on March 15, 1914 in Denver, Colorado.
His parents were Leon and Emma Mulling, and
two older brothers were Harry and Earl
Mulling. All have since died. Harry
Mulling&
39;s daughter, Mrs. Barbara Ann
Hassey, resides in Golden, Colorado.
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— After obtaining his bachelor&
39;s degree in
English and Speech in 1936 from Colorado
State College in Greeley, Lee taught those
subjects, and directed plays for four years
at Eaton (Colorado) High School-- while
completing work on a master&
39;s degree in his
field in 1940 -- also at Greeley.
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— In 1941, Lee was employed by the University
of Oregon and the Eugene Public Schools to
supervise student teachers of English,
continuing with that job until he entered
the navy in March of 1943. Lee was trained
as a Navy Service Classification
Specialist, and interviewed and supervised
work in that field for three years in
Southern California, until discharged from
the navy in April of 1946.
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— Lee returned to his old job in Eugene,
Oregon, only to be recruited by Elmo
Stevenson to head up the English Department
at Southern Oregon College of Education. He
taught English, speech, drama and
journalism, and acted as advisor to the
College Newspaper. Over the years his
teaching became more focused on speech
courses; he sponsored yearly high school
speech tournaments that included debate.
Alumni fondly recall the "Faculty Follies"
that Lee wrote and directed to raise money
for the SOCE library.
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— In addition to teaching courses in various
aspects of speaking. Lee became interested
in the physical, psychological and learning
problems associated with speech, and worked
with various specialists in diagnostic
clinics throughout Southern Oregon,
sponsored by the University of Oregon
Medical School. He established a Speech
Clinic on campus that provided services
(and internships) for college students and
for members of the public. This became the
research area of his Ph.D. studies with the
Stanford University Medical School and
Communication Department, which he
completed in 1960.
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— Starting in the 50&
39;s, and extending over
the next 40 years, Lee made dozens of trips
overseas. Most were to Europe, where he led
tours for OSF patrons, but he used his two
assignments in Guam (teaching at the
university and setting up speech diagnostic
clinics) to make round-the-world trips to
much of the Far East. He used summers and
sabbaticals to teach at Stanford,
University of California, University of
Oregon, and University of Colorado, and do
research at the British Museum Library.
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— Much of Lee&
39;s travel focused on theater and
music, and when the opportunity came at his
home university, he played a major role in
establishing strong Communication and
Theater departments. Lee had helped Angus
Bowmer establish the Oregon Shakespeare
Festival Association, and served as
Secretary to its Board of Directors in its
early years. At various times he served on
the boards of Jackson County Concerts
Association, and of the Rogue Valley
Symphony. He endowed musician chairs for
the latter, and narrated "Peter and the
Wolf" with the symphony, as well as doing
narrations with the Southern Oregon Concert
Band.
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— Lee has been a major benefactor for the
School of Arts and Letters at SOU: leading
fund drives to purchase music equipment and
development of the Visual Arts Complex. He
funds 7 scholarships for the School of Arts
and Letters, and was a strong advocate for
maintaining a piano instruction capability
in the Music Department. He&
39;s endowed a
scholarship at Northern Colorado
University, his old Alma Mater. Lee chaired
the Faculty Senate for a period of time.
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— On retiring in 1979, the Alumni Association
gave Lee their Outstanding Service Award.
He assumed the presidency of the Emeritus
Faculty, and was president of the SOU
Friends of the Library. In 1990, SOU
awarded Lee "The President&
39;s Medal" for his
long-term services to the institution. In
2002, he received "The Dean&
39;s Award" from
the School of Arts and Letters for his
support of those departments.
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— Leon Charles Mulling, Ph.D. devoted his
life to education in the Arts. He has
requested that there be no funeral, but a
memorial service will be announced in the
near future. He asked that "Flowers should
be dispensed with, since they are for the
living." However friends wishing to
contribute to Lee&
39;s memory may send checks
to the SOU Foundation, 1250 Siskiyou Blvd.,
noting in the memo space "for Mulling
Scholarships"
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Arlis Jack Hief
Arlis Jack Hief, 82, of Ashland, died
Thursday — (March 3, 2005) at home.
Arrangements: — Litwiller-Simonsen Funeral
Home, — Ashland.
Mathilda Klabunde Mathilda Klabunde, 102, of Ashland, died
Friday (March 4, 2005) at the Linda Vista
Care Center, Ashland. Arrangements:
Litwiller-Simonsen Funeral Home, Ashland.