Gerald Dale Mulanax

1943 – 2010

Gerald Dale Mulanax, 67, passed into the arms of his Heavenly Father suddenly Monday evening, December 6 of natural causes in his home in Florissant.  Dale was a long time resident of North County living in both Bridgeton and Florissant.  Dale was born November 1, 1943 in Denver, Colorado to Ora Mae and Dallas Houston Mulanax.  Because his stepfather, Crawford Harrell, was career air force, Dale and his two older brothers lived in many places.  He graduated for El Rancho High School in Las Vegas, NV, received his BS degree from Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, AZ, and his M. Div from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Gladstone, MO.  Dale married his wife, Virginia Reba Pryor, “Ginger”, in 1967.  The couple has two children.  Dale was a loving father and devoted husband.  Dale faithfully served as a pastor in churches in northern Missouri and Shell Knob.  In 1977, when he accepted a position as Facilities Director of Missouri Baptist College, the family moved to Bridgeton.  Dale served as pastor at the Hanley Road Spanish Baptist Mission, St. Louis Park Baptist Church and assistant pastor at Christ Memorial Baptist Church.  He worked actively with the Southern Baptist Brotherhood Association teaching campcraft.  In 1985, Dale accepted a job as journeyman repairman at Bensinger working on restaurant equipment. He was a member of Local 688.  Dale retired from Bensinger in 2005 due to poor health. 

 Dale was a certified master level USATF official working many youth, collegiate and national track meets.  He specialized in officiating throws, was a weights and measures inspector, and was a race walking judge.  He gave tirelessly of his time to serve as field referee for youth track events and as a race walk judge for youth, open and senior race walk events.  He received the Sam Giambelluca Award for Service to Youth Track & Field in 1997 and was the first recipient in 2009 of the Dale and Ginger Mulanax Award for Track and Field Officiating from the Ozark Association.  Dale loved working with fossils and his family often stopped along an interesting looking road cut to scout for fossils.  He was very proud to have the opportunity to display his collection at the St. Louis County Library and to donate some of his more outstanding fossils to Missouri museums.  Dale spent his life in service to his family and his community.  He had a dry, dry sense of humor and often told awful jokes that made you laugh because he laughed.  Dale loved working with his hands; he could fix anything given enough time. His outstanding culinary creations were pan fried cheese as well as bacon and eggs cooked on sassafras sticks over a campfire.  His goal was always to do good and not evil.  As his sight and hearing failed, and despite his serious health problems and being unable to serve as he wanted, he still always held his family, community and nation up in prayer. 

 Dale is survived by his wife, Ginger, of 43 years; his daughter, Rebecca Erin of Overland; his son, David William and his life partner, Mark Pousson, of South St. Louis; and his mother, Ora Mae Harrell; and two brothers, Leroy and Ray. 

 Visitation with the family is at Archway Memorial Chapel, 111 Taylor Rd, Hazelwood, MO from 3-6 pm on Monday December 13th.  A Memorial Service will be after visitation from 6-7.  In lieu of flowers, donations are requested to the Dale Mulanax Fund(NARI) c/o AC Jaime, 621 North 10th Street, Suite C, McAllen, Texas, 78501-4513 to be used for the benefit of the USATF Race Walking Committee. 

 “Twilight and evening bell, And after that the dark!
And may there be no sadness or farewell, When I embark;
For tho’ from out our bourne of Time and Place The flood may bear me far,
I hope to see my Pilot face to face When I have crossed the bar.”

~ Alfred, Lord Tennyson