October 12, 1954 – March 5, 2026
Peter “Pete” Mulliner, 71, passed away on March 5, 2026, in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He was born on October 12, 1954, in St. Louis, Missouri.
Pete lived a life defined by curiosity, craftsmanship, mentorship, and a deep love for aviation and family. A graduate of the Class of 1972 from Huron High School, Pete went on to attend Northwestern Michigan University’s Aviation program, graduating in 1975. Flying quickly became both his profession and his passion. Over the course of more than 30 years as a flight instructor, Pete trained and mentored countless pilots, teaching and flying across Texas, Washington, Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, South Carolina, and even Mexico. His career also included several years in corporate aviation, but it was teaching that truly captured his heart. He took great pride in seeing his students succeed and carried their achievements with him long after they left the cockpit. Pete was an active member of the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) in Ann Arbor and the University of Michigan Flyers, communities where he shared his love of flight and camaraderie with fellow aviators.
Outside the cockpit, Pete was a quiet and thoughtful man who loved working through the details of the many projects that filled his workshop and home. Whether tinkering, fixing, or building, he approached each task with patience and curiosity. Yet among friends and family, that quiet thoughtfulness often gave way to his booming laugh and wide smile—especially when surrounded by the people he loved most. In recent years, Pete became a dedicated volunteer and mentor within the Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) community. Living with the disease himself, he worked to raise awareness and walk alongside others facing the same diagnosis, offering encouragement, perspective, and understanding. Pete shared 42 years of marriage with his beloved wife, Bonnie Augustine Mulliner. Together they built a life centered on family, resilience, and shared adventure.
He is survived by his daughter, Lindsay Mulliner Lebrun and her husband, Caliph Lebrun; his stepdaughters, Rachel Gordenier Kulesa and her husband, James Kulesa, and Andrea Gordenier. Pete was a proud and devoted grandad to Madison Kierst Gary and her husband, Drew Gary; Timothy Clark and Tori Houston (fiancé); Rosemary Clark Vaught and her husband, Jonathan Vaught; Odin and Marley; Foster Kulesa; Lizzy Beth Kulesa; Kelycera Lebrun; Linkon Lebrun; Leia Lebrun; and Malcolm Lebrun, all of whom he absolutely adored. He is also survived by his siblings, Mully Todd and Deb Harrington, Gayle Mulliner Adler and Gary Adler, and his “adopted” brother, Jerry Banks and Kelly Banks.
Pete answered to “Pete” for most of his life unless, of course, he was in trouble. Those who knew him will remember a man who loved to fly, loved to teach, loved to build and tinker, and above all loved his wife, daughter, and grandchildren deeply. His legacy lives on in the many pilots he trained, the lives he encouraged, and the family who carry his memory forward.
A memorial service will be announced at a later date.
Arrangements by Staffan-Mitchell Funeral Home.
