In Loving Memory of Don Mueller


Don Mueller, loving father, devoted husband, and loyal friend to so many, passed away on Friday, February 3rd, 2023. All who knew Don will miss this amazing man who was very humble, soft spoken, and kind. He was a person of the highest integrity and someone who would always go out of his way to help others. Everyone who knew Don loved him.
Don was born in Chicago, IL, on April 9th, 1934 to his parents, Helen Wilson and Henry Mueller. Although an only child, he had many friends who were always around, and a great little dog named Flash, and they all congregated at the Mueller house on Minnehaha Street in Edgebrook, a Northwest side neighborhood of Chicago.
As a youth, Don was a well-liked child who excelled at academics in school, even winning most of the honors at one of the award banquets in 8th grade at Edgebrook grade school. He continually brought home excellent grades even though he was 2 years younger than all his classmates due to skipping 2 grades. But what he excelled in even more was sports. All who remember him in his younger years remember his incredible athletic skills. Don played many sports but his main love was baseball. A star athlete at Taft High School, professional scouts would attend his high school baseball games and they saw his potential. Only 16 when he graduated high school, Don had offers to be drafted by 3 professional baseball teams, the Chicago Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals, and one other. Although a standout in sports, his father never got a chance to see him play because he was always working at a busy job as Vice President of Hall Printing. As his father died at an early age, this was something that Don always regretted, and he was determined to do things differently with his own children. Rather than pursue his baseball career, his parents wanted him to go to college instead, so that is what he did. Don was offered an athletic and academic scholarship, but his father turned them down saying that their family had the means to afford college, and to please give the scholarship to someone else less fortunate.
Don attended Northwestern University in Evanston, IL and while playing basketball his first year there, he blew out his knee. The injury required major reconstruction surgery, and unfortunately Don was never able to play competitive sports at the same level again. He graduated with a BS in Business and at a later date took many graduate classes working on a Masters in Accounting. After graduating and while waiting for the military draft, Don worked at Wieboldt's Department Store in Chicago and met Nancy Prem, 16, who was also working a summer job there. Nancy was the "Belle of the Ball" as Don would say, and they fell in love and married in 1957. As Don ended up not qualifying for the military draft, he took an executive position with General Mills and they started a family almost immediately.
After several more years enduring cold winters up north, Don and Nancy decided to pack up and move to Florida in July of 1968, without even having a job lined up. Nancy's parents picked out a large 5 bedroom house on Blairshire Circle in Winter Park, FL before the family arrived, and it turned out to be perfect. That house on Blairshire is still owned by the Mueller Family today after 55 years. Don and Nancy had 5 children together - Jeff, Laurie, Susan, Beth, and Brett.
Don worked in various financial positions throughout his life, always making sure he was home by 5:30 to have dinner with the family, and turning down promotions and higher paying jobs to make sure he had enough time with the kids. He and Nancy encouraged their 5 children in various activities, involving them in many sports. Before long, tennis became the family favorite. Don spent countless hours with his kids helping them with tennis, taking them to tournaments on the weekends, and practicing with them in the evenings after dinner. Tennis played a major role in Don's life. At one point, he was General Manager of the Orlando Racquet Club, a job he very much enjoyed. He devoted many hours to the United States Tennis Association, serving as Area Director and as a Volunteer Tournament Director, running many large Junior Tournaments in Florida. He also competed in several tournaments himself, including some Mixed Doubles and Father/Daughter tournaments with Laurie and Susan.
In 1980, Don and Nancy decided to part ways and Don eventually moved to a house about a mile away from the family house on Blairshire Circle. Brett, at the age of six, went to live with his father until he went on to college. All the kids, at least at some point, went to FSU, and Don became a huge 'Nole' fan! He loved to visit his kids up in Tallahassee and would often attend the football games with them.
In 1994, while playing in a charity doubles tournament at the Orlando Racquet Club, Don met Irene Moorhead, and they struck up a conversation. Irene made the first move when she decided to call Don, and that led to their first date. Irene and Don were very happy together and eventually decided to marry on May 27th, 2001 on the beach in New Smyrna with family gathered around. New Smyrna Beach became a special place for the Mueller family, and it became their favorite vacation spot and their destination for their family reunion every year. Don and Irene have enjoyed a blessed life together over their 21 wonderful years of marriage.
Don leaves behind his wife, Irene, his ex-wife Nancy, and his children from his marriage to Nancy: Jeff Mueller, Laurie (Scott) Potter, Susan (Scott) Boyer, Beth Kendrick, and Brett (Amy) Mueller, as well as his 10 grandchildren, Callista Mueller, Kailey Mueller, Matthew Potter, Kevin Potter, Nick Boyer, Joshua Kendrick, Lauren Kendrick, Ashley Kendrick, Heidi Mueller, and Kyle Mueller. He also leaves behind his stepchildren Janelle (Jason) Shives, and Lance Moorhead, and 3 stepgrandchildren, Josephine Shives, Jenna Shives, and Jessica Shives.
Don's family and all who knew him will miss him deeply. But we know that he is at peace now with Jesus, and is finally without pain. We know that we will see him again in heaven and we look forward to that wonderful day!
Services for Don Mueller will be held as follows:
Saturday, Feb 11, 2023 at 2:00pm
Forest Lake Church
515 Harley Lester Lane
Apopka, FL 32703
(407) 869-0680
*Celebration of Life Reception to immediately follow service.