ERIC MULLEN

MR Eric John Mullen, of Great Harwood, passed away on Sunday, November 8.

Eric worked in the Civil Service as an Inspector of Ships Provisions. Later, with the decline in shipping, he transferred to the Board of Trade Office at Piccadilly Manchester, from which he retired in 1985.

Eric was an active member of the Cyclists Touring Club. He was a member of the St John’s Ambulance brigade during his teens, and his experiences took him into WWII, joining the Royal Navy and serving on the hospital ship, Empire Clyde. He primarily toured the Far East, helping the evacuation and repatriation of UK and Commonwealth of Japanese prisoners of war, returning them back to their home countries from Hong Kong.

He was a lifelong member of The Knights of St Columbia and a devout Christian. His main interests were reading, gardening, dancing, quizzing, and he also enjoyed watching Countdown, horse racing and cricket on TV.

Eric married his late wife Stella Maria Livesey in 1949.

He leaves two sons John and Peter, and a daughter Ann, daughters-in-law Elaine and Susan, son-in-law Geoff, four grandchildren John, James, Andrew and his wife Alex, Louise and her husband Scott, and seven great-grandchildren Morgan, Zoe, Declan, Carlo, Sophie, Isabella and Lucie.

A Graveside Service was held on Wednesday,

November 18 at Great Harwood Cemetery at 11am by Father Ian Farrell. Any donations made in memory of Eric will be gratefully received and shared between Eric’s two favourite charities, Royal National Lifeboats Institution (RNLI) and Handicapped Children’s Pilgrimage Trust (HCPT group 72). Eric’s family would like to thank all the doctors and nurses at Royal Blackburn Hospital who cared for him during his last two weeks, and grateful thanks are also due to the help and support from Father Ian Farrell and funeral director Great Harwood Funeral Service.