John E. Mueller Sr. | Firefighter, 91

John E. Mueller Sr., 91, of Wildwood, a retired Philadelphia firefighter, died of heart failure Tuesday at St. Mary Medical Center in Middletown Township.

Mr. Mueller served in the Fire Department from 1943 to 1973. He was assigned to Ladder Company 4 in Northern Liberties and Engine Company 36 in Frankford.

While in the department, he had a part-time painting business. After he retired, he worked for Sears & Roebuck for 10 years as a painter at the Sears merchandise building on Roosevelt Boulevard and then was the building's fire chief.

He commuted to Sears even after moving from Northeast Philadelphia to Wildwood in 1979, daughter Kathleen Meehan said. He would still do painting for friends and family and run errands for neighbors until falling in December, she said.

Mr. Mueller, whose mother died when he was 7, grew up in St. Vincent's Orphanage in North Philadelphia. After eighth grade, he went to work in a factory, earning 21 cents an hour, his daughter said.

He was with the Reading Railroad for several years before joining the Fire Department. He was deferred from military service in World War II because of an ear problem, his daughter said.

Mr. Mueller attended daily Mass and was devoted to the rosary. For 61 years, he participated in spiritual renewal weekends at the Malvern Retreat House and was a member of the Sacred Heart League.

In addition to his daughter, Mr. Mueller is survived by sons John Jr. and James; another daughter, Margaret Pfau; a brother; 15 grandchildren; 24 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild. His wife of 62 years, Catherine Knowles Mueller, died in 2005, and son Joseph died in 1979.

A Funeral Mass will be said at 11 a.m. tomorrow at St. Anselm Church, 12760 Dunks Ferry Rd., where friends may call after 9:30. Burial will be in Resurrection Cemetery, Bensalem.