Alta M. Mcmullen

Alta Mae McMullen (1923–11/12/2025)

Alta Mae McMullen, a woman whose life spanned a century of change and was defined by resilience, dedication, and unwavering love for her family, passed away peacefully.

Born on July 18, 1923, in Webberville, Michigan, Alta Mae was the daughter of Glen Willard Benjamin and Hazel Mae Fisher. She was a beloved sister to Gaylord, Doris, and Peggy. Her early life was marked by the extraordinary challenges of the Great Depression, which she faced on a farm in Bell Oak, Michigan. Alta Mae endured a childhood of scarcity, including the heartbreaking necessity of her younger sister Peggy being raised by neighbors—a separation that was joyously reversed when the sisters reunited as young adults in Jackson, Michigan, remaining close their entire lives. Her family’s resolve was tested further when their farmhouse burned down, forcing them to survive a cold Michigan winter living in a grain silo. Having lost her parents before she reached adulthood, Alta Mae courageously became a strong independent woman.

Though she only attained a high school education, Alta Mae deeply valued learning and always aspired to attend college. During World War II, she proudly supported the troops by working as a seamstress in a uniform factory. Her time working at Consumer Power in Jackson, Michigan, was also touched by personal sacrifice when she received a devastating letter informing her that her boyfriend had been killed in action in the European Theater.

Her life changed forever at a USO event for troops on leave in Jackson, where she met William “Bill” McMullen Jr. She often recounted that it was love at first sight when she saw Bill coming down the stairs to the ballroom. Alta Mae, who worked as a telephone switchboard operator, married Bill, and together they raised two daughters, Janet (b. 1949) and Michelle (b. 1951).

The family moved frequently throughout the Midwest as Bill built his career as a CPA specializing in corporate turnarounds. Alta Mae was eternally grateful when they settled permanently in Southern California, allowing her to escape the Midwest winters she so disliked.

After Bill’s passing in 1986, Alta Mae dedicated the next four decades of her life fully to her family, becoming the center of their universe and earning the title of the greatest Granny EVER.

Alta Mae is survived by her devoted daughters, Janet (Ian) and Michelle; her loving grandchildren, Brant (Kimberly), Nicole, Ryan (Wendy), Christian (Danielle), and Kenneth (Caitlin); and her treasured great-grandchildren, Madeline, Katherine, Brandon, Logan, Victoria, and Elisa.