Dicie Pauline Mueller

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Dicie Pauline (Hansen) Mueller, widow of the late Rev. Herman Mueller, beloved mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, on Wednesday, January 4, 2023 in Milford, Massachusetts at the age of 97.
Dicie Pauline was the oldest of William Nils and Faye Ella (Rittenhouse) Hansen’s six children. She was born in Kirkwood, Missouri, on July 31, 1925, and was raised primarily in Centralia, Illinois and St. Louis, Missouri. Dicie Pauline was a strong and responsible woman from a young age. She met her husband, Herman Mueller, when he was studying at Concordia Seminary in 1943 in St. Louis, Missouri. They were married on June 21, 1947 and enjoyed more than 70 years of marital bliss.
Dicie Pauline fulfilled the role of a Lutheran pastor’s wife with grace and dedication for many decades. Rev. Mueller’s career required him to serve different communities in the western U.S. and Dicie Pauline enjoyed making each new place a home and a welcoming spot for others to visit. The Muellers lived in and served Lutheran congregations in Sweet Home, Oregon; Monroe and Mount Vernon, Washington; Mountain Home, Idaho; Anza, Fallbrook, Pomona and Ventura, California; and in Cottonwood, Arizona. Many years after Rev. Mueller’s retirement, the couple moved to Bristol, Connecticut.
Dicie Pauline had a gutsy spirit and flashes of humor that surprised those who met her. She loved hosting dinners, baking for her loved ones–especially cinnamon rolls–and meeting new people. She will always be remembered as a loving and selfless person, who touched the lives of everyone she met with her kindness, grace, and unwavering faith. Her ability to stay connected with loved ones through her letters will be remembered as a special part of her legacy. Dicie Pauline sent beautifully written, personalized letters and while reading her cards, the receiver could tell how much she cared for them. In her later years, she took advantage of the various programs offered at the retirement homes where she lived, including regular exercise classes. Dicie Pauline remained well-read and always had a book in hand. She especially enjoyed learning about the lives of famous people through biographies. Above all, Dicie Pauline had a deep Christian faith and was delighted to converse with anyone she met. She derived immense joy from talking to her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, and will be deeply missed by all who knew her.
Survivors include her daughter, Lorna Kee and husband, Gary, of Belleville, Illinois, as well as her grandson, Vlad Kee and wife, Rachel, of Belleville, Illinois; her great-grandchildren Hailey, Laela, Matthew, and soon-to-be-born baby girl Kee. Included also is her daughter, Dicie O. Mueller of Franklin, Massachusetts; as well as her granddaughter, Corrina Balash Kerr and husband, Bret, of Franklin, Massachusetts; and great-grandchildren, Lily and Nate Kerr; her grandson, Stephen C. Balash and wife, Kristen, of Norfolk, Massachusetts, and great-grandchildren, Evelyn and Archie.
Additionally, her sister, Ruth Leibach, of St. Louis, Missouri; her brother, Dr. Maurice Hansen and his wife, Bonnie, of Bedford, Virginia; and her brother-in-law Dr. Glenn Paul Johnston of Naples, Florida. Dicie Pauline is also remembered by many cherished nieces and nephews as well as grand-nieces and grand-nephews who enriched her life immensely. Many close friends throughout the United States are grateful to have known her.
Along with her husband, who passed in December 2018, Dicie Pauline was also predeceased by her brother, Gerald Hansen and his wife Betty; by her sister, Mary Lou Johnston; and by her sister, Vesta Lavonne Comyns and her husband Lou. She was predeceased by her very dear in-laws, Marvin W. Leibach; Drs. Paul F. C. and Virginia Mueller; and Olive A. and Ralph Harrity.
Funeral services will be held on Friday (January 13, 2023) at 1 p.m. at Funk Funeral Home, 35 Bellevue Ave., Bristol. Burial will follow in Peacedale Cemetery, Bristol. The family will greet guests starting at 12:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to The Lutheran Hour (give.lhm.org) or to a charity of choice. Please visit Dicie’s memorial web-site at www.FunkFuneralHome.com

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