Olive J. Mullenix

Olive J. Mullenix Obituary

Olive J. Mullenix, long time Kirksville businesswoman passed away on July 29, 202 at Northeast Regional Medical Center in Kirksville, Missouri. She was 98 years old.

Olive was born in rural Putnam County, Missouri on September 19, 1913, the daughter of Benjamin and Laura (Wolf) Durbin. After graduating from the Unionville High School and Teachers Training, she attended Kirksville's Teachers College (now Truman State University) and taught for nine years in the rural one-room Brassfield School system. She was well known and liked in the rural Putnam County Schools, a teacher often fondly remembered for riding horseback everyday to the classroom.

In 1942 she left teaching to raise a family. Olive married Thurman Lorraine Mullenix (nicknamed “Shockey”) on August 12, 1934 in Lancaster, Missouri, and to this marriage three children were born: Patsy L. Mullenix, Paul D. Mullenix and Dr. Phyllis J. Mullenix.

Olive and Shockey first moved to Kirksville in 1946 and formed the Mullenix Products Company in partnership with Shockey's brother, Harper. In 1948 Olive and Shockey purchased 10 acres on the northern edge of Kirksville that subsequently became the site of Shockey’s Station, "C" store, and Shockey's Court. Shockey's Station was in business at that location for 56 years.

After her husband’s death in 1993, Olive continued operating Shockey’s Station and the “C” Store until closing in 2004. Over her long business career, Olive became well-known in the Kirksville business community as the owner and operator of Shockey's Station and the "C" Store, Shockey's Court and other Kirksville real estate.

Olive was preceded in death by her husband of 59 years, T. Lorraine "Shockey" Mullenix, and by her two young sisters, Myrtle Jean and Bonnie Lee, and two brothers, Edward "Red" Durbin and Everett Durbin, both WWII veterans. She is survived by her brother James O. Durbin, her three children, daughter-in-law Rosemarie Mullenix, son-in-law Richard J. Schmidt, and her grandchildren Courtney and Keely Schmidt, Miles, Ian and Makalyn Mullenix, and several nieces and nephews.

Growing up in a rural environment, Olive learned to hunt, fish, raise livestock, garden and most of all, how to work hard, be independent and survive depression economics. By setting an example, she taught that work ethic to her students, children, grandchildren, employees and business associates. For fun, she was a gifted needle embroidery artist and worked many silk crewel-style pieces. She loved fishing and road trips, and the many tales of her “spunk” will not be forgotten. She will be greatly missed.

A funeral service will be held at 11:00 P.M. Saturday (August 4, 2012) at the Davis-Playle-Hudson-Rimer Funeral Home. Interment in the Park View Memorial Gardens. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 Friday evening at the
Davis-Playle-Hudson- Rimer Funeral Home