SUMMERVILLE- Junry Jay Douglas Mullen, 79, passed away on September 12, 2006 after an extended illness.A memorial service will be held at 1:00 PM Friday, September 15 at Palmetto Cremation Society, 11 Cunnington Ave., Charleston, SC 29405 with Reverend John B. Burwell officiating. Mr. Mullen was born March 30, 1927 in Ft. Thomas, Kentucky. He served in the United States Air Force Intelligence during World War II in Europe, and then returned to attend West Virginia University as part of the Army Specialized Training Reserve Program.He attended and graduated from the Schuster-Martin School, University of Cincinnati, which launched a varied and successful career in broadcasting and advertising. After graduating from college, Mr. Mullen actedin several television programs in theMid-West,and learneddirection from the late Rod Serling of The TwilightZone fame.In the early 1950s, Mr. Mullen was a familiar face here in Charleston on WCSC-TV and a familiar voice on WTMA-AM radio. With programs like Mullen Away the Time and Moon Mullen, he entertained with his wit and gifted musical abilities.A talented actor anddirector, Mr. Mullen went on to direct the Dock Street Theatre Players in the mid-50s, and received national attention when he coached Miss South Carolina, Marion McKnight in the performance that won her the title of Miss America. Over the course of the next forty years, he was General Manager and on-air personality on several radio stations, including two stations in New York and WNCG-AM, WKTM-FM and WEZL-FM here in Charleston. Mr. Mullen was the General Manager of WCBD-TV from 1975 to 1978, after which he launched his own advertising agency. At the age of 67, he returned to college and received his Bachelor of Arts from the College of Charleston, and then went on to earn a Master of Arts in History from the Citadel and University of Charleston. He taught History at Trident Technical College and Theatre at the College of Charleston, and planned to pursue a Ph.D. until a diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease in 2001. For a number of years, Mr. Mullen was a member of First (Scots) Presbyterian Church where he served as an elder. He was also past-president of the North Charleston Rotary Club, past officer of the Mt. Pleasant Exchange Club and appointed as secretary of the South Carolina Health Information Committee. Other associations andposts included the South Carolina Broadcasters Association, the Media Consultant Committee for the Trident Chamber of Commerce, media consultant for the Religious Faiths Committee of the Charleston Bi-centennial Committee, board member of the Advertising Federation of Charleston and member of the Small Business Council and Congressional Action Committee of the Trident Chamber of Commerce. A gifted writer and speaker, Mr. Mullen was asked to emcee and speak for many organizations and events throughout his life. Affectionately dubbed The Bald Eagle, he was a delight to everyone who had the privilege of knowing him and a true friend and gentleman. Mr. Mullen is survived by daughter Maggie Belmont of Mt. Pleasant, Chris Mullen of Mt. Pleasant and Tim Mullen of Santa Cruz, California. He is also survived by two sisters, Betty Reik and Marcia Gillham of Covington, Kentucky; seven grandchildren, two nieces and one nephew. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to theNational Parkinson’s Foundation, Inc. at www.parkinson.org. Arrangements by Palmetto Cremation Society, 11 Cunnington Ave., Charleston, SC 29405. Published in the Charleston Post & Courier on 9/14/2006.
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