Jack Mullinax

With a big grin and a heart to match, Jack R. Mullinax could make anyone feel comfortable. More than anything else, Jack valued people. He was a member of the Kankakee Elks Club for over fifty years and also a member of St. Martin of Tours Catholic Church. Charming and flirtatious, it was no surprise to find him sitting between two beautiful ladies in the bleachers at Wrigley. He adored his wife and children and helped make their home a place of acceptance and love.

Heading into the decade of the Roaring ‘20s, the United States was facing a boom of information and industrialization that would drastically change the course of the nation. Radios, automobiles, immigration, Prohibition, and developments in film were just some of the influences that both unified and polarized Americans, and it was into this rapidly changing society that little Jack made his appearance. Born to Rollie E. and Cecile (Harris) Mullinax on November 9, 1921, in Parkersburg, Illinois, he and his brother Clyde grew up with an appreciation for hard work, laughter, and like most other kids at the time, baseball.

When Jack was fourteen, the family suffered a serious blow when Rollie died. The boys traveled extensively with their mother while she worked as a cook in logging camps. Jack contributed to the family by trapping and selling hides for a quarter apiece. He and Clyde looked out for each other in their own ways and grew even closer through their struggles.

Their home base had been near Olney, Illinois, but around the time of Rollie’s death the family moved a few hours north to the Kankakee area. Jack played football in high school, but his real passion was golf and it remained a love of his for the rest of his life.

Although golf may have been his first love, it wasn’t his greatest. That was reserved for a lovely young lady who worked at the C & J Café. Her name was Doris Dupuis and he wanted nothing more than to sweep her right off her feet. She consented and was willing to risk her parents’ disapproval by sneaking around a bit in order to see him. The couple eloped in Joliet on October 30, 1948. But of course, eventually Doris’ parents grew to love Jack and all was well.

Once Jack and Doris started their family, they ended up being proud parents of many children. A baby crib seemed like a permanent fixture in their room and there were no complaints from Mom and Dad. Jack and Doris saw raising the family as a team effort, and bath night was just one of many examples. On Saturday night, Jack would take five kids at a time, bathe them, then send them to Doris to have their hair combed and dried. There were undoubtedly loud and chaotic days, but there was no question that everything was done under an umbrella of love that Jack and Doris had for each other and their kids.

Jack provided for his family by working as a line foreman for Commonwealth Edison until his retirement after forty years, and for a time had his own antenna business with his best friend, Pat Dupuis. He loved being able to take care of his kids, and he also loved coming home to them everyday, faithfully delivering a playful pinch to Doris upon his arrival. He loved singing and taught the kids several childhood ditties, giving them a foundation of happiness, trust, and love. The comfort and welcome in the Mullinax home was apparent to all and their house became the place for parties and just hanging out.

Even when the kids were older and had moved away, they still loved coming home. As their own families grew, holidays were filled with plenty of love and laughter and Thanksgiving at the Elks’ bowling alley provided some of the greatest memories. Even the simpler things were reminders of precious times. Jack would drive family members around the old neighborhood, reminiscing about people and places they had known together, singing robustly and just enjoying being together.

Jack and Doris celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary on Halloween, Jack in a threadbare tux and Doris in an old wedding gown that they adorned with cobwebs just for the occasion. The outfits were put to good use trick-or-treating that evening followed by a party back at their house.

Jack enjoyed competition and sports of all kinds. Of course he kept golfing, and spent quite a bit of time bowling and fishing. He and Pat were regular euchre partners at Ryan’s Pier restaurant, and he was also a former state of Illinois checkers champion. Although he was an avid St. Louis Cardinals fan, he loved his family enough to tolerate Cubs games at their request. He was also open-minded enough to give Cubs’ stellar former third-baseman Ron Santo a fair shake when they met and ended up liking him a lot.

Jack loved to travel and he took several fishing trips through the years that took him to a variety of locations. There was no joy quite like a train trip to St. Louis with Doris and taking in a Cardinals game, rehashing every play and evaluating next season’s hopes with his grandson. He was thrilled with Hawaii when he visited in 2002 and made sure he took the opportunity to even go snorkeling.

He was sad when traveling was no longer an option for him, but he still looked forward to every moment with his family and friends, swapping stories and listening to his church music CDs. Jack has left behind some wonderful memories and the undying assurance of his love. To them he will always be strong and warm, smiling from the stands, cheering them on.

Jack died on Friday, January 7, 2011. He was preceded in death by his wife Doris and brother, Clyde Mullinax. He is survived by five sons: Michael Mullinax of Kankakee, Illinois, Thomas (Cindy) Mullinax of Gilbert, Arizona, James (Sandra) Mullinax of Herscher, Illinois, Jeff (Cindy) Mullinax of Bourbonnais, Illinois, and Greg Mullinax of Kankakee, Illinois; six daughters: Jacqueline Ziemer of Evansville, Indiana, Judy (Michael) DeBouck of Decatur, Illinois, Mary (Greg) Brandt of St. Louis, Lori Oswalt of Kankakee, Illinois, Cathy (Brian) Pepin of Manchester, Missouri, and Sandy Hale of Chatsworth, Illinois; twenty-seven grandchildren; and twelve great-grandchildren.

A Celebration of Life funeral mass for Jack will be Tuesday, January 11, 2011, at 10:00 a.m. at St. Martin of Tours Catholic Church, the Rev. Dennis Settles officiating. A gathering time for family and friends will be Monday, January 10, 2011, from 4:00 – 8:00 p.m. at the Kankakee Chapel of the Schreffler Funeral Homes. Please visit Jack’s personal memory page at www.lifestorynet.com to share a favorite memory, a special photo, or sign his online guest book.