Howard Sylvester Mull

FLORENCE - Howard Sylvester Mull, husband of Eva Thomas Floyd-Mull, died Wednesday, April 2, 2014, in McLeod Hospice House in Florence.

Mr. Mull was born August 16, 1925, in Morganton, NC, the second of six children of the late Carl E. and Lola Deal Mull. He attended public schools in Burke County, NC, and having then graduated from high school, he served honorably in the U.S. Army during World War II. He was a valued employee of the Life and Casualty Insurance Company of Tennessee (later named American General Life and Accident Company). He was an outstanding agent and staff member in Morganton, NC, and was promoted to district manager in Jacksonville, Florida, and later in Florence, SC. He served three years in SC as the Regional Area Manager and retired in 1986. During his tenure in insurance for over 37 years, he had served in every elective position of the Association of Life Underwriters in NC, Florida, and SC. In 1978, he served as SC State President and was voted “Man of the Year” in the Florence Association, receiving the Edwin F. Brooks Award and the Carroll H. Jones Award in the SC Association. Helping to organize the Charter Builder Foundation for the SC Association, he continued that membership. He also helped organize the SC Political Action Committee of the Life Underwriters and remained on the Board of Directors until his retirement.

Mr. Mull was a faithful, devoted member of the Pleasant View Baptist Church in Morganton, NC, a charter member of Terry Parker Baptist Church in Jacksonville, FL, and a devout member and leader in First Baptist Church in Florence, SC. There he served as Chairman of the Deacons, Sunday School Director, Church Training Director, Brotherhood Director, Chairman of the Finance Committee, Church Treasurer, and in a number of other capacities.

Of a previous marriage to the late Octavia Newton Mull, he is survived by two children: Kay Mull Byrd (Davis) of Canton, GA, and a son, Steven H. Mull (Marilyn) of Jupiter, FL. Also surviving are two step-sons, Wayne Floyd (Marcia) of Salem, Oregon, and Scott Floyd (Karen) of Columbia, SC, and step-daughter, Lisa F. Mitchell (Dwight) of Walterboro, SC. Other survivors include two grandchildren, Sylvia Byrd Corts (David) and their children David, Molly, Sophie, and Charlie Corts of Atlanta, GA, and grandson Stephen E. Byrd (Kumi) and their children Jack and Simon Byrd of Canton, GA; and sisters, Lucy M. Barger, Beatrice M. Hensley (Jack), and Rebecca M. Mull, all of Morganton, NC. Surviving step-grandchildren are Brad Roberts and Ashley Roberts of Jupiter, FL, Max and Megan Mitchell of Walterboro, SC, David Floyd of Washington State, and Stephen Floyd (Laura) of Buffalo, NY.

Funeral services will be 2:30 p.m., Friday, April 4, 2014, at First Baptist Church of Florence with interment following at Mount Hope Cemetery, directed by Waters-Powell Funeral Home. The family will receive friends from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m., Friday, at the church.

Memorials may be made to the First Baptist Church TV Ministry, 300 S. Irby St., Florence, SC 29501.

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