Clay “Butch” Mull, 86, of Morganton, went to his Heavenly Reward on Monday July 20, 2026, at his residence.

Mr. Mull was born April 25, 1940, in Burke County, a son of the late Carze Alexander and Alice LeFevers Mull. He was a proud veteran, serving for four years in the US Navy. He was sworn in on his seventeenth birthday and a short time later he was on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier, USS Princeton. He worked on the flight decks of two other carriers, USS Hornet and the USS Bennington, as his squadron of planes moved from one carrier to another. It was dangerous, but you could just tell he loved every minute of it. “Butch” was a long-time active member of Drexel Memorial Baptist Church, where he served as a Sunday School teacher, an usher and greeter. He would greet you with a warm smile, a firm handshake and give you a bulletin as you entered the service. He will be missed by his brothers and sisters in Christ. Mr. Mull retired after many years of faithful service from Drexel Heritage Furniture Co.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by three brothers, Fleming, Ray and C.A. Mull, sisters, Jewel Clay, Mary Delia Shuffler, Queen Nutting and Maezell Grady.

Those left to cherish his memories are the love of his life, his wife of sixty-six years, Peggy Ann Pearson Mull, son, Gary Mull and wife Kathy, grandson, Taylor Mull, great granddaughter, Maci, step-grandson, David Fair, wife Frenchie, and step-great grandson, Tyler; and his loving sister, Essie Gillespie. Also surviving are a number of nieces and nephews whom he tried to include into his life by attending their many sporting events and especially hunting with his nephew Steve Shuffler.

Funeral Services for Clay “Butch” Mull will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Monday July 27, 2026, at Drexel Memorial Baptist Church with Rev. Mike Chandler officiating. Interment will follow, with military honors by the US Navy, at Burke Memorial Park.

The family will receive friends from 10 until 11:00 A.M. Monday at Drexel Memorial Baptist Church.