Raising Four Kids Through Life’s Storms | Kelly Mullins’ Story of Tenacity

Kelly Mullins’ story is one of resilience, reinvention, and the enduring power of love for family.Born in 1957, Kelly spent her earliest years in Manson before her family moved to Boron, California, where her dad worked at the Borax plant and her mom worked for a dentist. Life there was adventurous — motorcycles, dune buggies, and even a household that once included thirteen turtles. When Kelly was twelve, her family moved back to Manson, where she attended Manson schools and graduated in 1975. Just a week after graduation, Kelly set off for San Francisco, working with the Coast Guard in naval engineering while also attending modeling school.  But life would soon take her in a very different direction.By the time she was 24 years old, Kelly was raising four children — Tony, Bree, and twin boys — and much of her young adulthood became a relentless effort to provide for them. There were seasons when life was incredibly hard. As a single mother of four young kids, she worked multiple jobs just to keep food on the table and a roof over their heads. Like many people who live life fully and honestly, Kelly will openly tell you she didn’t always make perfect decisions along the way. Some choices came with consequences that affected more than just herself.But what defines Kelly isn’t the hardship — it’s her refusal to stay down.She kept moving forward. She kept working. She kept loving her kids fiercely.Over the years Kelly worked across many industries and communities — from supply work at GTE in Oregon, to hospitality at the Red Lion, to banking with Washington Mutual and later Chase, where she eventually worked in corporate operations and project management. Her career path took her from Chelan and Wenatchee to Oregon and Seattle before eventually bringing her back home to North Central Washington. Kelly has “retired” more than once in her life — but retirement for her has always just meant the start of a new chapter. Whether it was returning to work as a bank branch manager or investing in Keller Williams in 2018, she continues to challenge herself and step into new opportunities that help her grow. Today, when Kelly looks back, what she feels most is gratitude.Her four kids have grown into remarkable adults, and she now has eleven grandchildren who bring her immense joy. More than anything, Kelly hopes they remember her not for the struggles, but for how deeply she loves them.These days she’s happily married to her husband Jeff Mullins, and the two are enjoying this chapter of life together — one built on hard-earned wisdom, laughter, and appreciation for the journey that brought them here.Kelly remains what she’s always been: a young spirit, someone unafraid to put herself in uncomfortable situations if it means learning something new, growing, and continuing to become a better version of herself.Her story reminds us that life isn’t about perfection — it’s about perseverance, grace, and the people we love along the way.