Frank Auburn Mullis
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Frank Auburn Mullis passed away at Memorial Medical Center on July 3, 2021 after a short illness. He was 75 years old. He was born on August 6, 1945 to Carl and Juanita Mullis in Ousley, Georgia and hit the ground running. He graduated from Lowndes County High School, Valdosta State College with a degree in Chemistry and business administration and John A. Gupton College in Nashville, Tennessee.
Frank was drafted into the U.S. Army on April 12, 1967 and arrived in Vietnam 60 days later where he was seriously injured and medically evacuated to Fort Lewis in Washington state. For the next 6 months he was in traction. He never forgot that time on Ward 8 and vowed to one day help veterans in some way.
After being honorably discharged from the Army, Frank went into the funeral business, owning two funeral homes in Tifton, Georgia and Brunswick, Georgia and serving as a funeral director. He was recruited by the Lions Club of Georgia to attend Emory University of Ophthalmology and became one of the first licensed embalmers to enucleate eyes for cornea transplants. He performed this procedure over 500 times.
Changing gears, Frank went into the publishing business and established Savannah Scene Magazine, books, and tourist maps from Mt. Dora, Florida up to Atlanta, Georgia.
Frank was a member of White Bluff United Methodist Church, VFW Post 4392, the Veterans Council, a member on the Committee to raise funds for the WWII Memorial. He belonged to the DAV Chapter 8 and become Chairman of Boy Scout Troop 16, of which he was immensely proud.
For over 15 years, Frank felt very fortunate and honored to become a Service Officer helping veterans receive their benefits, especially those veterans who had been denied their claim or simply getting a vet back into the VA system for medical assistance. It was not unusual for a veteran's organization to receive a late-night call from Frank seeking funds to help a veteran family with rent, an electric bill or housing.
In 2019, Frank traveled back to Vietnam fulfilling a lifelong dream. He was shocked and overwhelmed by many Vietnamese people stopping him in the streets to talk and ask about America.
Frank was honored to serve as the Marshall of the Veterans Day Parade in 2006 and was delighted to be named the Veteran of the Year in 2014.
Frank is survived by his wife of 32 years, Dee, three children Margo Maranto (Kip), Jennifer Wu, and Bradley Mullis and special daughter, Alea Stein. Also surviving are three sisters, Peggy Dobbs (David), Jackie Masters (Charlie) and Judy Binninger (Charlie), mother-in-law, Ginger Johnson and sisters-in-law, Rozalyn Johnson, April Harris and Shelley Clark (Paul), two grandchildren, Hannah TeVault, and Emma TeVault and one great- granddaughter, Elsie. He adored his four-legged best friend, Phoebe, who kept him active every day.
Visitation will be from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 7, 2021 at Fox & Weeks Funeral Directors, Hodgson Chapel.
The funeral service will be 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, July 8, 2021 at Fox & Weeks Funeral Directors, Hodgson Chapel officiated by Reverend Barry Giddens.
Interment will follow in Forest Lawn Memory Gardens.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Frank's memory to the VFW Post 4392, 3003 Rowland Avenue, Thunderbolt, Georgia 31404.
Please sign our online guestbook at www.foxandweeks.com
Fox & Weeks Funeral Directors, Hodgson Chapel, Savannah 912-352-7200.