Mullins at heart a family man

Whenever Kellye Mullins needed to talk her husband, Jim Mullins, who died April 25 at his home, he was always there to listen.

Best friends is how Kellye described the relationship she shared her husband for 11 years. She said she and Jim experienced many hardships over the years, but said no matter how much the odds were against them, Jim stood firm in his beliefs.

“If an issue came up that Jim thought was wrong, he would let the people involved know he didn’t think what was happening was right and he wouldn’t back down,” Kellye said.

Driving the tractor until he couldn’t ride any longer or moving cattle until he was so exhausted he nearly fell over wasn’t anything out of the ordinary for Jim, since 40 years of his life were spent working on the farm, his wife said.

“Farming was his life,” said Kellye. “Jim (also) read the Bible and would also read to his children and if they ever had a question he wouldn’t hesitate to answer. He was a firm believer in God, Jesus, the Commandments and how they apply to what the Bible says.”

If anyone was ever in need of a helping hand, Kellye said Jim was always right there willing to do whatever he could to help — especially if it was anything having to do with his loved ones.

“Jim was a very well-loved person. He had a great heart and was a good provider to his employees and his family,” said Kellye. “He was a joking type person who could come up with jokes off the top of his head. He loved hearing a good joke as much as he loved telling a good joke.”

Sneaking up on Kellye while she was doing the dishes or unexpectedly popping in on the children always gave Jim a good chuckle, and Kellye said she will always have those memories.

But, she said, what she’ll miss most about her best friend will be his unconditional support.

“I will always cherish the closeness we had like how I could go up and give him a hug and he wouldn’t stiffen up or back away. He was very loving and understanding,” Kellye said.

Dora resident Bill Cathey went to school with Jim, and said that even though Jim graduated a few years before him, he will never forget how well Jim always competed during the high school Future Farmers of America judging competitions.

“Jim was on the FFA cross judging team where you identify plants and seeds. He always scored real high and always did so well that until he graduated I couldn’t get a spot on the team,” Cathey said.

The first thing that Cathey said comes to mind whenever he thinks of Jim is a quiet, easy-going family man. Cathey recalled how the last few times he visited with Jim it was while he was taking his daughter to play in peewee basketball games.

“Jim wanted to be there for his family and provide for them the best he could, and he may not have been able to spend as much time with his family as he would have liked to but everyone who loves their family probably feels that way,” Cathey said.