Dr. Peter Wayne Mullen

With love and sadness, we announce the passing of Peter Wayne Mullen, PhD, FCSFS, 76 years, on Tuesday, February 23, 2021. Born in Liverpool NS on May 10, 1944, he was the son of the late Carl and Agnes (Payson) Mullen. He spent his youth outside Yarmouth in Arcadia, getting into mischief and helping at his father’s car dealership. He took degrees at Acadia University in 1966 and 1967 and embarked on a short teaching career at Prince Andrew High School, Dartmouth. In 1970, he moved to the United Kingdom to take a master’s in forensic science at Glasgow’s Strathclyde University, followed by a PhD in Pharmacology from the University of Manchester, with post-doctoral study at the University of Edinburgh. Peter, a true academic, quickly gained tenure at the University of Manchester medical school but always felt Nova Scotia calling him home. In the spring of 1980, he moved to Kentville to start KEMIC Bioresearch, determined to prove that a bioresearch company could succeed in rural Nova Scotia. He was a fellow of the Canadian Society of Forensic Science, edited numerous scientific journals and served on many boards and organizations. Peter had a passion for teaching, both in the classroom – at Acadia and Dalhousie – and at his dining room table drawing graphs in the hope that we might grasp some complex pharmacokinetic concept. He loved his work, spending hours at the lab and the company’s "world headquarters" (his famous attic office) or sitting at his sons’ hockey games with a stack of scientific papers. A gentleman of the old school, civility and manners mattered greatly to him. He loved his family, spoke of his aunts and uncles with reverence, and ensured that his children gathered for regular Sunday dinners (but only after his exercises were complete). Keeping "crazy hours," he regularly went to bed just as his beloved "Susie" was rising and always left her a note in the kitchen. Quirky and passionate, he was a lifelong learner, and we will miss his obsessions with everything from the American Civil War to Flying Squirrels. Grampie ("Ogie" to Aisha) had a unique style with his grandchildren, loved to sing to them and would listen patiently to the many details of their young lives. He is survived by his devoted wife of 42 years, Susan (Goodall); his children, Michelle (Colin) Sharpe, Victoria, BC; Kerry (Peter) Mullen-Ludlow, Kentville; Sean (Lisa), Kentville and Scott (Elina), Ottawa; grandchildren, Aisha (Mitch), Victoria B.C; Payson, Rory, and Emilia of Kentville; brother, Vaughn (Jane), Liverpool; and nieces and nephews Gavin, Halifax; Ryan (Holly) Liverpool; Zoë (Andrew) Winsor, Liverpool; as well as his Aunt Jean (Payson) Drew of Ottawa, his many beloved cousins and his extended UK family. Cremation has taken place and a funeral service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, March 12, 2021 in the Kentville United Baptist Church. Due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, those who wish to attend the service are required to pre-register (via email at [email protected] or phone at 902-678-3162). Registration for seating in the sanctuary (and overflow seating in the CE Centre building) will be received until the capacity limits permitted under the current Nova Scotia Public Health Order are reached. Masks will be required, and physical distancing will be observed. A video webcast of the funeral service will be available at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, March 12, 2021. Donations can be made to a charity of your choice, including cancer research and the local Salvation Army. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the White Family Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Kentville. For online condolences, inquiries and to view the video webcast, please visit: www.whitefamilyfuneralhome.com.