John Thomas Mullins' Obituary
Mullins, Dr. John Thomas, age 82, Professor Emeritus of Botany at the University of Florida passed away on Wednesday, November 26, 2014 at North Florida Regional Medical Center after a brief illness. He was born in Richmond, Virginia on November 18, 1932, the son of Fitzhugh Xenaphon Mullins and Margaret Frances Lane Mullins. He attended school in Highland Springs, VA through high school where he excelled in athletics and was active in student government. He graduated from the University of Richmond with a Bachelors and a Master of Science Degree. He was a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity. He earned his PhD in 1960 at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He joined the faculty at the University of Florida in 1959 teaching Biological Sciences and Botany for forty-four years until retirement in 2004. He did a year of post-doctoral work at Harvard University and Two years at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, MD. He was a long time member of Sigma Xi.
Tom enjoyed gardening, especially growing roses and was an active member of the Gainesville Rose Society, The American Rose Society and a long time American Rose Society Horticultural Judge. His roses brought him pleasure and numerous awards over the years.
Tom was preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Margaret Mullins Ansty. He is survived by his devoted wife of 60 years, Shirley Osbourne Mullins of Gainesville, who was his childhood sweetheart having met in the eighth grade. They married in 1955 in Richmond, VA. He is survived by three children and five grandchildren, Stephanie Lane Mullins (Robert Wayne Kipping of Minneapolis, MN) of Gainesville; John Thomas, Jr. (Jennifer Murray Mullins and John Thomas Mullins, III) of Boca Raton and Hilary Mullins Green and husband Dr. Preston Tabb Green (Hadleigh Elizabeth Green and Ansley Starr Green) of Gainesville, his brother, Dr. Fitzhugh Xenaphon Mullins, Jr. and wife Lillian of Louisville, KY and many nieces and nephews. He adored his grandchildren who affectionately called him “Grin”.
A Graveside Service and interment will be held Tuesday, December 2, 2014 at 2:00 p.m. in Washington Memorial Park Cemetery in Sandston, VA. A Memorial Service for Dr. Mullins will be held Saturday, December 6, 2014 at 3:00 pm at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church followed by a reception in the Parish hall.
Tom was a faithful member of Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, 100 NE 1st Street, Gainesville, FL 32601 since 1959. For those who wish, contributions may be made in his memory to the church, to the St. Francis House, P.O. Box 12491, Gainesville, FL 32604 or to the Gainesville Rose Society, 21465 NW 39th Terrace, Micanopy, FL 32667.
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