William Mullenbach, 74

William Mullenbach, 74

William (Bill) Mullenbach, 74, of Adams, Minnesota, formerly of Las Vegas, Nevada, passed away on Tuesday, February 11, 2025 at Cedar Court Assisted Living  in Adams.

Bill was born in Adams on February 14, 1950 to Roman and Helen (Koenigs) Mullenbach. Bill received his education at Sacred Heart Catholic School and Adams High School. Growing up in Adams meant getting to know your neighbors and yielded many lasting friendships. Bill was diagnosed with scoliosis and underwent corrective back surgery in 1966. This left him in a body cast and bedridden for a year and a half of high school. During this time, his mom gave him a guitar and taught him a few chords to keep him busy and to pass the time. This was the beginning of his love of music. Learning guitar and singing songs (a lot of Johnny Cash) gave him a lifetime of enjoyment entertaining family and friends. As scoliosis precluded him from participating in sports, Bill began working with electronics for Schmitz Electric in Adams and graduated with the Class of 1968.

Bill studied engineering in Kansas City and was soon hired by Honeywell, Inc. He was transferred all over the United States to work on projects for the military, the aeronautics industry, and the casino industry. Bill was also a retired private pilot and at one point owned a flight school and Red Baron Pilot Shop in Kansas City, which specialized in flight training materials. He retired from Honeywell as a project manager in 2004.

Buying and restoring classic cars was a pastime Bill enjoyed; it was a big part of his life. He spent hours in conversations about any classic car he ran across in his travels. In addition to working on classic cars, Bill spent endless hours tinkering in one of his workshops creating items that entertained his most recent idea. He would find an old piece of seemingly-useless equipment and turn it into a useful gadget or lawn art, or he would come up with a crazy idea (by himself or with a group of friends brainstorming crazy ideas) and acquire the parts to make their ideas come to life. If you saw a “crazy car” in a parade in Adams or in one of the surrounding towns around Las Vegas, Bill had a hand in planning or building a few of them.

In retirement Bill filled his time with his son, his friends, his horses, and music. He purchased a truck and trailer and followed the rodeo circuit spending time with fellow horse-lovers any chance he could. In his younger years, Bill spent many hours riding horses. In his later years, he found that mounting a tall horse from the ground became less easy, which brought about a device to assist in mounting a horse.

This was one of his most useful gadgets – a stirrup device for a saddle that he patented for use by riders with physical restrictions. He built countless numbers of them for riding schools, meant for people with limited mobility, as well as for the general population with the same limits.

Throughout his many work travels and retirement rodeo trips, Bill always returned to the ranch he loved near Las Vegas. He strived to spend as much time as possible with the person he loved most, his son, Hans. As time marched on, Bill eventually returned to make his final home in Adams.

“I lived a grand life. I enjoyed life, and there was never a dull moment.”

Bill was preceded in death by his parents, Roman and Helen Mullenbach; and sister, Agnes O’Connell.

Bill is survived by his siblings: Pat DeMay of Bowling Green, KY; Sue Warmka of Grand Meadow, MN; Paul (Karla) Mullenbach of Rochester, MN; Joyce (Kim) Bergan of Grinnell, IA; and Randy Mullenbach of Pipe Creek, TX; one son, Hans William of Montana; three bonus adult children, Gloria Stewart of KS; Larry Radford of KS; and David Radford of MS; many nieces and nephews.

Family will greet friends at a visitation from 10-11 a.m. Saturday, March 8, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Adams, with a memorial Mass scheduled for 11 a.m. with Father James Berning officiating. Burial will be at Sacred Heart Cemetery following the service. A luncheon will be held in the church hall.

Memorials can be sent to: Adams American Legion Post 146, 321 W. Main St. or Adams Area Historical Society, 322 W. Main St, P.O. Box 145, Adams, MN 55909.

Adams Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.