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Delmar Eugene Mullen was born January 31, 1940, to Phillip and Lottie Mullen.  Del was the11th child out of 13 to be born to his proud parents.  His younger brother, Royal, and sister, Shirley, were born in 1942 and 1943.  Baby Royal did not survive his first week of life, and being the family man that he would grow to be, Delmar would name his future guitars after his baby brother.  He would later change the name from Royal Steel Guitars, to Mullen Steel Guitars, but still wanted to pay tribute to his baby brother, so he named the Mullen model, Royal Precision, after his brother.

On June 19, 1960, Delmar married his soulmate, Dixie, in Seibert.  Together they moved to Gravette, Arkansas.  After moving back to Colorado, the sweethearts celebrated another wonderful milestone when their first daughter, Leisa, was born in Flagler August 27, 1962.  The new little family moved to the big city of Denver to begin their new journey in life.  Shortly after, they welcomed a second daughter.  Lorie was born in Denver December 2, 1963.  Life would forever change as they knew it.   They were a proud family of four with big dreams and goals!

In the 1970s, he played in bands on the weekends and backed numerous stars as they traveled through Colorado for gigs. He greatly enjoyed playing musical instruments, and came to especially love the steel guitar.  His band at the time, The High Country Travelers, even played for President Gerald Ford and his staff at a show in Vail.  Del also played with the Glen Owens band, The Ranch Hands, and played at a Denver Bears Baseball game.  The entire Mullen family loved playing music together.  They would frequently play and sing together whenever they got the chance.

Always a dreamer and a do-er, Del knew he wanted to build something great.  And that he did!

He worked for various shops doing welding and specialty machining.  He became a machinist at Hazen Research  and then the Colorado School of Mines Research Institute. Dixie and Delmar raised their two daughters in Commerce City, and started the legacy that would become Mullen Steel Guitars.  Del had the amazing idea, and in 1984, with Dixie’s unwavering love and support, together they started a future and went into business full time.  In 1991 they moved to Strasburg, and continued to build their business. 

Del truly thought of everything! If he could dream it, he could do it.  Del produced his own CD’s also.  He was always thinking of ways to introduce the world to steel guitars.  Del’s dreams, ambitions, and even his own CD, was something out of this world!  His CD, Classic Country Plus, traveled to space with astronaut Steve Robinson on the Space Shuttle, Discovery. 

As with him naming the Royal Precision as a special tribute, the Mullen Steel Guitar model, the Discovery, would be no different.  His CD went to space on the Discovery, so his next model of guitar, the lighter model that is great to fly with, was to be named Discovery!

After growth, years of love, and family support, they finally moved back to their roots and re-located themselves and the business to just north of Seibert in 1998.  Del had three grandsons, Shaun, Michael, and Nicholas, and Del had a vision that one day, the next male generation, his grandsons, would take over his legacy and build his fine instruments.  Once again, Del’s creative ways to pay tribute as he named his guitar models came into play.  With the second generation of men geared up to one day take over, the G2, was created.  

Delmar and Dixie ran a successful and very well-known steel guitar business for over three decades when they decided to “retire” and give the reins to their grandson, Michael Mantey Jr., they could not have been more pleased.  Del and Michael worked side by side, elevating Mullen Steel Guitars to what it is today.  Del was most recently so proud that his eldest grandson, Shaun Mantey, was back to work at the Mullen Steel Guitar Company as the lead guitar builder.

In his last couple years, Del’s life was filled with ups and downs.  Del was so ecstatic to see all of the happenings at the business that he created with his bare hands!  However, he also suffered a tremendous loss with the loss of his wife of over 60 years, Dixie Fae Mullen, on January 4, 2024.   Unfortunately, that year for Del continued with more loss and heartache, as he lost his grandson, best friend, and successor, Michael Mantey Jr., on November 12, 2024.  

In March of 2025, Delmar experienced such a joyous high in .ife, one that he talked about up until the time that he left to be with his Lord.  Del attended a Steel Guitar Convention in Dallas, Texas, one of which he had not been to in several years, as Michael did most of the traveling in the later years.  Del always enjoyed these conventions, wherever they were held.  This last one was truly so special for him. He was delighted to see so many old (and new) friends, and the feelings were positively reciprocated.  He left a lasting mark on that final convention and on the steel guitar world as a whole.

On October 5, 2025, Del departed peacefully during the night in his home. As a young man, he worked for the Timm brothers at that very home.  A home that held so much love and so many memories, just the way Delmar and Dixie always wanted it.  We just know that Del is exactly where he needed to be, and where he wanted to be, back with his bride, his best friend and grandson, all 12 of his siblings, and his parents.

Del is preceded in death by his parents Phillip Merris Mullen and Lottie Belle (Kellogg) Mullen, and his 12 siblings: Vernon Phillip Mullen (1918-1996), Doris Elaine Mullen Murphy (1920-1998), Velma Grace Mullen Murphy ( 1922-1992), Willard Lee Mullen Sr. (1925-2004), Corp. Leon Ray Mullen (1926-2002), Leonard Leroy Mullen (1928-2013), Florence Mae Mullen Aumiller (1930-2015), Melvin Dewey Mullen (1932-2017), Donna Jean Mullen Smith (1935-2011), Esther Frances Mullen Slawson (1937-2015), Royal Edward Mullen (1942-1942), and Shirley Ann Mullen Moyer (1943-2023).  He is also preceded by his loving and devoted wife, Dixie Fae Mullen (2024), and beloved Grandson, Michael Mantey Jr. (2024). 

Del is survived by his two daughters Leisa (Mike) Mantey, Lorie (Robyn) Wood, Grandsons Shaun (Crystal) Mantey and Nicholas (Rhonda) Friedrich, Granddaughters Dana (Nick) Roesener, Melissa White, Kristen Friedrich, and Devyn (Marcos) Avina.  Del is also survived by 22 great-grandchildren, and three great-great grandchildren, as well as several nieces and nephews.

Delmar Eugene Mullen.  A dreamer.  A legend.  A legacy.  

Services for Delmar Mullen will be held October 25, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. at the Trinity Hill Church in Seibert.  

Del will be laid to rest next to his loving wife, Dixie, at the Seibert Cemetery.  

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that if you would like to provide support or gifts, that you make a donation to one of Delmar’s personal partnerships, the Michael Mantey Jr Memorial Fund, at TBK Bank PO Box 286  Stratton, CO 80836.

Arrangements are under the direction of Brown Funeral Home.