Ben and Korie Mullican were longtime sweethearts who got married shortly after high school. They raised two children together, went camping together as a family and were the kind of dynamic couple who knew how to have fun.

Tuesday morning, Ben and Korie Mullican were killed in an auto accident on Interstate 90 in the Silver Valley between Kingston and Cataldo. Due to the icy condition of the road, the eastbound Mullican vehicle went out of control, crossed the center median and collided with a truck traveling westbound. Ben was taking Korie to the hot springs in Montana for her birthday. She had just turned 36.

"Ben and Korie were always together, and she was definitely the love of his life," said Rudy Woodworth, one of their friends. "We'd go camping, all of us, and they were the best. Just the way they sat next to each other - you could see it in their faces how much they were in love."

Ben was a press operator at FMI-EPS in Post Falls, while Korie worked many years in the nutrition services department at Kootenai Health. Most recently she was the room service cook.

Gaylene Scott, director of nutrition services, was Korie's supervisor. "Korie was a very positive person who smiled most of the time," Scott said. "She cared deeply about others and our hearts are broken by this loss."

Voices cracked and there were long silences when friends of the longtime Post Falls residents shared their memories about the couple.

"Ben was absolutely the nicest person - the most caring, compassionate and loving person I've ever met in my life," said David Foutz, who considered Ben his best friend. "Any help you needed and he was always there. And, about Korie, I guess the best word for her was 'outgoing.' It was always fun getting together with them. Her desserts were the big thing - Ben was always bragging about her desserts."

Generous, kind-hearted, awesome and gentle. Those words were repeatedly used to describe Ben Mullican.

"He was the biggest-hearted man I've ever met and that's not sugar-coating anything," Woodworth said. "You don't have to sugarcoat with Ben."

He was also a kidder who knew how to take a joke on himself.

"He wasn't the type to get mad," said Ken Taddie, a friend and former supervisor. "He'd help anybody and he never expected you to pay him back.

"I used to play pranks on him. I remember the time I put the hot sauce in his peanut butter sandwiches and he chased me halfway around the building, laughing the whole time."

Ben knew how to make other people feel good.

Eric Hohn, a longtime friend, remembers. "No matter what mood you were in, he could always make you smile or laugh." Hohn said. "He was such a card. I remember one day when we were carpooling together and Ben always had his arm out the window. Suddenly I see him swerve off the side of the road, stop the car, get out and start dancing around like a crazy guy. And let me tell you, Ben was one big dude. Later he told me a bee flew up his shirt.

"Korie was one of them people - she was like Ben - just always smiling and always did everything she could to make people happy. What part of them ain't I going to miss?"

Heidi Johnson, Korie's younger sister, said, "Everybody has loved them so much and all of the love we are getting from everyone is helping fill what's broken in us right now.

"I guess I just want people to keep loving them and to make sure everyone knows how much you love each other. And drive careful. This shouldn't have happened. God must have needed two amazing angels."

Funeral services for the Mullicans will be held Jan. 14 at 1 p.m. at Bell Tower Funeral Home in Post Falls.

• Help the Mullican children

Two funds have been set up for the Mullican children:

— Panhandle State Bank. Make checks out to: Heidi Johnson/Angel and Trevor Mullican. Donations can be made at any branch or mailed to: Panhandle State Bank, P.O. Box 2468, Post Falls, ID 83854.

— Horizon Credit Union. Make checks out to: Heidi Johnson for the Mullican Children. Donations can be made at any branch or mailed to: Horizon Credit Union, c/o Heidi Johnson for the Mullican Children, P.O. Box 15128, Spokane Valley, WA 99216.

Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly named Angel Mullican as April.