Mary Eva Bruce Mullins

COLUMBIA - A memorial service for Mary Eva Bruce Mullins, 83, will be held at 3:00 p.m., Friday, February 5th, 2016, at Dunbar Funeral Home, Northeast Chapel, Hard Scrabble Road. The family will receive friends immediately following the service. Memorials may be made to The Alzheimer’s Association, 140 Stoneridge Drive, Suite 210, Columbia, SC 29210. Mary Eva Bruce Mullins died Tuesday, February 2, after a long illness. Born in Camden, SC, she was the daughter of the late Alex Bruce and Ester Garvin Bruce. She was a graduate of Camden High School and Furman University in 1954 with a degree in History. She had a love of teaching and taught at Blaney in Lugoff-Elgin, SC and later briefly in Richmond, VA and Houston, TX. Upon returning back to Columbia, Mary and the now late Dr. Jack S. Mullins raised four children; Robert Bruce Mullins, Michael Alan Mullins, Michele Mullins Neal and Melissa Mullins Slagle. She was a devoted and active member of Kathwood Baptist Church for over 40 years. Before her illness, she loved serving on various committees and taking an active role in the church and community. In her early years, she was the organist at her hometown church, Mount Olivet Baptist in Camden, SC. She was a devoted mother and homemaker and a substitute teacher at Richland Northeast High School and Dent Middle School during the 1980’s to early 1990’s. Her many hobbies and interests included her love of history, politics, playing the organ/piano, church, sports, sports stats, playing bridge, spending time with her family and friends and traveling the country and world. Mary was truly an interesting, funny, classy and strong independent woman whom will be deeply missed by everyone she touched. Mary Eva Bruce Mullins is survived by her loving and devoted children: Robert Bruce Mullins (Amy) of Columbia, Michael Alan Mullins of Spartanburg, Michele Mullins Neal (Mike) of Columbia and Melissa Mullins Slagle (Joe) of Blythewood; six grandchildren, William Mullins, Sarah Mullins, Grant Neal, Cameron Neal, Madison Mullins and Jordan Slagle; and her brother, Alex Bruce of Camden.