Mike Mullins, Director of Hindman Settlement School, community leader, and co-founder of the Troublesome Creek Times, passed away unexpectedly on Sunday, February 19. He was 63.
Shock and sadness spread throughout the community, then far beyond, as friends learned of Mullins’ death. The news was especially difficult to believe for those who had seen him so active and seemingly healthy over the weekend; he spent Saturday at Hindman United Methodist Church working with the Upward basketball program.
According to Knott County Coroner Jeff Blair, Mr. Mullins was pronounced dead at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday at the Knott County Sportsplex.
The Sportsplex staff had decided to close early due to the heavy snow and poor road conditions when Mullins arrived at the facility. He asked that he be allowed to work out while employees were doing final cleanup before locking the doors. Staff members found him a short time later lying unresponsive near a fitness machine, and were unable to revive him. The coroner said Mullins had a history of heart trouble.
Michael Lee Mullins was born on June 22, 1948, in Hi Hat, Ky., to Mildred Dawson Mullins and the late Herman Mullins. He was the oldest of five children.
Mike began his education in a one-room school before attending a larger elementary school at Clear Creek. He loved his school and his teachers; one in particular had a great impact on his life. Mr. James A. Gibbs was a young, energetic teacher who had gone to Berea College. By the end of his sixth grade year, Mike Mullins knew he wanted to go to Berea, too.
After graduating from McDowell High School, Mike followed his dream of going to Berea College. He majored in American History and became the family’s first college graduate in 1971.
While at Berea he (in her words) “managed to catch the eye of Frieda Mae Smothers and somehow convinced her to elope to Jellico, Tenn., with him on October 30, 1971.” The couple then spent some time in Cincinnati while Mike finished his Masters of History at the University of Cincinnati.
Mike and Frieda returned to Kentucky where Mike took a job at Alice Lloyd College. He taught and was Campus Director of ALC’s Appalachian Oral History Projet for three years, then became Director of the Appalachian Learning Laboratory and the Appalachian Oral History Project….
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