Person:Warren Mueller (1)

Warren Edward Mueller was an engineer, a talent he shared with his father and other relatives on his father's side. His greatest achievement in his career was the completion of the Interstate 5 bridge over the Willamette River at Wilsonville, Oregon, of which he was chief engineer.

An old friend of Warren's told the following story at his funeral: While he and Warren were in Japan during the occupation, they were once caught in a restricted area and American MPs were coming looking for them. Warren and his friend slipped into a building and there encountered another group who were also hiding out: the Japanese Mafia. With the little Japanese he knew, Warren managed to convince them that he and his friend were American Mafia who had been sent there to make contact. This is very much like Warren's sense of humour, but he never told this story himself.

1.   Obituary written by Margaret Robe Summitt.

   Warren Edward Mueller died July 27, 2000 in Portland, of pneumonia. He was born September 14, 1920 to Edward and Bertha (Schilling) Mueller in Appleton, WI. The family moved to Canby, OR in 1935. Warren attended Multnomah College and received an A.A. degree. In WWII he served with the U.S. Army topographical division in the Southeast Pacific, and in Japan with the U.S Army of occupation. In 1950, he graduated from Oregon State University with a Civil Engineering degree. Warren married Mary Elizabeth (Betty) Clemenson October 12, 1952 in Canby. For 41 years Warren was a resident engineer with the Oregon State HIghway Department, retiring in 1982. He oversaw the construction of many bridges, mostly in the Salem area. He worked with the Boy Scouts as a leader from 1963 to 1984. After 1957 Warren and his family resided in McMinnville and were members of McMinnville First United Methodist Church. After his retirement, Warren and Betty wintered in Arizona until he had a stroke in 1995. They had returned to Oregon June 30. Warren leaves his wife, Betty, and five sons.