Ray Mullin, Marin veterans advocate, dies at 70
Ray Mullin, a prominent veterans’ advocate who led the Marin County United Veterans Council, has died.
Mr. Mullin, a Navy veteran who served for nine years after enlisting near the conclusion of the American involvement in Vietnam, died of lung cancer at the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center at Fort Miley. He was 70.
“There was a lack of recognition for many years for veterans,” said his son, Thomas Mullin, 51, of Petaluma. “He wanted to bring it to them.”
Mr. Mullin was born in San Francisco and went to Terra Linda High School. He joined the Navy on Aug. 5, 1970, according to Marin County Veterans Service Officer Sean Stephens, a friend.
Mr. Mullin was a storekeeper on the USS Sperry and USS Coral Sea and earned a good conduct medal and a Vietnam service medal. He also served at Diego Garcia, a 15-square-mile piece of coral in the Indian Ocean.
He was discharged on Nov. 29, 1978.
“I will miss Ray dearly. He was not the most handsome guy, but he was definitely passionate about serving veterans. He was very forward thinking, especially for his generation,” Stephens said.
Mr. Mullin was known as perhaps the most prominent veterans advocate in the county. He served on the Marin United Veterans Council and other veterans organizations during his many decades living in Novato, San Rafael and San Venetia.
Stephens said he would be remembered as a leader for change in the consideration of veterans in Marin. He was known to break traditional conventions in order to earn veterans the respect and acknowledgement he felt they deserved.
Stephens recalled the so-called “old guard” denying access to Gold Star mothers, or the mothers of veterans who were killed, to leadership roles in veterans groups. In 2010, Mr. Mullin changed that, and gave them a greater voice in local veterans policy, Stephens said.
“He was very progressive in his way of thinking,” Stephens said. “Veterans continue to serve and Ray was no different. He was a giver, not a taker, like most veterans.”
Glenn Ross, president of the Marin County United Veterans Council, took over after Mr. Mullin served as the head of the organization for more than 13 years. He recalled Mr. Mullin telling him to run the council his way.
“He said, ‘You do you, kid,’” Ross said. “He comes across as a really hard guy, but you get to know him and he was a big teddy bear.”
Jim Von Bima, 75, of Santa Venetia said he first met Mr. Mullin when he was a cubmaster for the Cub Scouts in the 1980s. Von Bima, a Marine Corps veteran, recalled a meeting during which Scouts and parents didn’t stand for the national anthem.
He was peeved, but a Navy vet from the crowd approached him and commiserated with him.
“He said he could help,” Von Bima said.
Mr. Mullin began to develop his reputation as a energetic advocate for veterans.
“He was concerned about the homeless vets that were out there that were not really getting their benefit,” Von Bima said. “He started doing this newsletter to get the attention of veterans. He was taking vets to the VA to get some assistance, he was offering to pick them up and bring them to the meetings.”
Mr. Mullin was involved with the American Legion, Wilkins Post 37, in San Rafael, where he eventually succeeded Von Bima as chair. He also coached Little League baseball and youth basketball.
Mr. Mullin was known for his long white beard — he played Santa Claus at holiday events.
Mr. Mullin’s stepson, Randy Severson, said he would be remembered as “a father, a mentor, a grandfather and a coach.”
“He was the same for a lot of kids in our neighborhood growing up,” Severson said.
In his free time, he enjoyed calligraphy and art, Severson said.
“I know a lot of people say he looked scary on the outside but he was a big teddy bear,” Severson said.
Later in life, Mr. Mullin worked as a civilian for a Navy contractor. He did work inspecting ships and warehouses in areas throughout San Francisco. He worked with the Marin Day Activity Center for adults with developmental disabilities.
Mr. Mullin moved to Upper Lake in the last years of his life.
His survivors include his brother, Matt Mullin; his son Thomas Mullin; his stepson Randy Severson; Severson’s three grandchildren; and his first wife, Barbara Duffy Mullin. His third wife, Deborah Lee Nixon Mullin, died previously.
Mr. Mullin was honored by the Marin County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday.