Leslie "Moon" Mullins

Leslie Dale “Moon” Mullins, 82, passed away on Wednesday, August 13, 2024, at Mercy Hospital in Merced, California after a long and valiant battle with leukemia.

Moon was born on July 15, 1942, to Leslie and Ruth Mullins in Enid, Oklahoma where Leslie was serving in the Army Air Corps. Moon grew up in Erlanger, Kentucky across the river from Cincinnati, Ohio until he left to join the Air Force in 1960.

Following Basic Training, Moon served on several Military bases including Guam and Spokane, Washington. While serving in Spokane he met a girl from Prineville, Oregon who would go on to become his wife of 60 years! Moon and Patricia Joan Stewart were married in Prineville in 1964, in July 1965 they would welcome their son Todd. When Todd was 6 months old Moon was deployed to Viet Nam. Patti and Todd stayed in Prineville with her parents awaiting his return.

When he returned from Viet Nam, Moon was stationed at Kingsley Field, Klamath Falls, Oregon where Patti and Todd joined him. While at Kingsley, Moon took training at Castle AFB in Atwater, CA to become a Boom Operator on the KC135 Stratotanker. After graduating from Boom school he was transferred to Grand Forks, N.D. to be an “airborne gas jockey” as a certified Boom Operator. As a “Boomer” Moon flew to many bases escorting planes to their stations. In July of 1976 Moon came back to Castle AFB until his retirement. He and Patti bought a home in Merced where he lived until his death.

Moon retired from the Air Force in 1981 after 21 years of service. Not one to lie around, Moon took a job with Gallo Wineries in Livingston, CA as a refrigeration mechanic. He worked at Gallo for 23 years until he decided to retire for good.

After his final retirement Moon stayed engaged in community affairs and could often be heard at City Council meetings voicing his opinions about projects he cared about.

Moon is survived by his wife Patti, son Todd and daughter-in-law Jennifer, several nieces and nephews, the remaining “Boomers” from Castle and Grand Forks, many dear friends that became "family" and an old guy who was married to Patti’s sister.

Following cremation, Moon will be laid to rest, with full military honors at San Joaquin Valley National Cemetery in Santa Nella, CA on Monday, September 23, 2024, at 10:30am 

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