Carl (Mike) Pullen was born and raised in Fairfield, California. From birth, he was blessed with a strong body and a handsome face. But it was his brilliant mind — paired with a rare ability to apply knowledge in practical, effective ways — that truly set him apart.

Mike was an only child, the son of an only child, and that independence often showed once you knew him well. Knowing Mike taught those close to him how to appreciate the good in people and forgive — or sometimes simply overlook — the rest. After all, life itself is a mixed bag.

Mike graduated from Fairfield High School in 1975 and went on to attend a two-year diesel mechanic trade school in Tennessee. After completing his training, he returned to Fairfield, where he owned and operated a decorative iron shop.

During those years, Mike drove a cammed-out, performance ’69 Mach 1, which he regretted selling until the day he died. He was lucky to have a grandfather, Royce Pullen, who managed the machine shop, as a civilian, at Travis Air Force Base, and together they built a blueprinted street-strip motor. For the muscle car enthusiast, Mike described his cherished Mach 1 like this: “It was a three-fifty-one Windsor, bored thirty-over with TRW forged slugs, a lumpy Crane cam, and Harland Sharp roller rockers up top. It had a seven- fifty Holley double-pumper feeding it, and it would twist to six-five-hundred all night.” For the rest of us, it was a race car barely pretending to be a street car and Mike loved to race it around town.

In 1985, Mike married local Fairfield beauty Shelley Culotty. Together they were blessed with two sons, Nolan Pullen and Trevor Pullen, both of whom have grown into stand-up men. Nolan and his wife, Marissa Estrada Pullen, further blessed Mike with two beautiful grandchildren, Bryce Pullen, age seven, and Byrdie Pullen, age three, who brought him great joy and pride. Mike loved being a father. He taught his boys how to hunt and fish, how to weld, and how to work with their hands — skills they carried to the highest levels and which made him deeply proud.

Following his marriage, Mike made several career transitions. He became a certified welder and worked in gas refineries, then spent a few years maintaining grounds for the Fairfield School District.

In 1989, Mike began studying for the Hospital Inspector of Record (IOR) exam through the State of California’s Office of Statewide Planning and Development Department. At the time of his death, Mike still held a valid class A, IOR license, bearing one of the oldest active numbers in the state.

After receiving his certification, Mike worked at a Northbay Hospital in Fairfield for several years before making the move to Redcrest, in 2007. He fell in love with Humboldt County and often declared he would never leave — and he never did. He spent countless hours exploring the backroads on his Harley and hiking alongside the South Fork of the Eel River with his dogs, Beastie, Chloe, and Evie. He often said that while he may not live in the most beautiful place on earth, there is no place more beautiful than Humboldt County.

Mike served as the Inspector of Record for Saint Joseph and Redwood Memorial Hospitals for almost sixteen years. During his tenure, he worked with numerous design teams and construction crews, closing many complex projects — most on time and within budget. Mike was accomplished, and if you asked his partner of twenty-two years, Denise Eastham Phelps, she would tell you that bringing Mike home to Humboldt County to perform hospital project inspections was one of the best things she ever did for her community.

When it came to his work, Mike always focused on efficiency, integrity, and cost-effective outcomes. He often said, “I always ask myself what’s in the best interest of the project — that’s my focus.” He would have wanted that principle remembered.

Mike battled Type II diabetes for many years without complaint. After enduring several amputations in recent years, he succumbed to acute kidney failure on January 3, 2026, at the age of sixty-eight, in the ICU at Saint Joseph Hospital in Eureka.

It is often only when life is ending — or has ended — that we truly grasp how short it is: a highly perishable product with a fixed expiration date. We spend the first half building it and the second half trying to keep it from falling apart. Not long before his death, Mike said, “I’d rather be under construction when I die.” And so he was.

Gratitude is at the heart of finding good in the world — especially in our relationships with the ones we love. Mike is deeply missed by those who knew and loved him.

###

The obituary above was submitted on behalf of Mike Pullen’s family. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here. Email news@lostcoastoutpost.com.