Wedding Celebration

Mullen Mills Wedding CelebrationDr. Shirley A. Mullen and Dr. Paul R. Mills were united in marriage on June 5, 2010 in Wesley Chapel on the Houghton College campus. A reception followed the ceremony on the Houghton Quad.

Dr. Mullen, the fifth president of Houghton College, is a native of Nova Scotia, Canada. She moved to Houghton with her family in 1966. Her father, Rev. Laurence Mullen, is Professor Emeritus of Bible and Philosophy at Houghton College and former Director of Church Relations. Her mother, Vesta, taught at Fillmore Central School, Fillmore, New York, until 1999. A sister, Barbara Pointer, and brother, Andrew, reside in Santa Barbara, California. Her brother, James, teaches at Fillmore Central School. President Mullen graduated from Fillmore Central School and Houghton College (1976) and earned advanced degrees in history and philosophy from the University of Toronto, the University of Minnesota and the University of Wales. She served at Westmont College in Santa Barbara for 23 years, first as professor of history and later provost.

Dr. Mills, a native of Pennsylvania, and the fourth of six sons, came to Houghton with his family in 1948 when his father, James H. Mills Sr., was hired as head college custodian. Mr. Mills Sr. and his wife, Lillian Mae, resided in Houghton until their retirement in 1978. Both are deceased. Dr. Mills received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Houghton College in 1961 and earned advanced degrees in Physical Education and History of Sport from Ball State University in Indiana and then the University of Maryland. He taught at Marion College (now Indiana Wesleyan University), then was president of Bartlesville Wesleyan College (presently Oklahoma Wesleyan University) for nearly 19 years. Dr. Mills is currently the Executive Director and CEO of The Wesleyan Center in Denton, Maryland. He is the father of two living children, Heather and Mark; his first wife, Bonnie, passed away in January, 2008.

The couple celebrated their marriage with family, friends and members of the Houghton community. They will continue in their present responsibilities and make their home in Houghton, New York.