Mills Edward Kerl

February 11, 1943 – November 16, 2024

At 81 years old, our mellow, gentle giant, beloved husband, dad, papa, and

friend, quietly fell asleep with a tired heart and went to be with his Lord and

Savior. He was born on February 11, 1943, in Taft, California, to Elmer and

Martha Kerl. It was wartime, and with Elmer serving in the Aleutians, Mills

and his mom lived with Grandpa Fletcher for 18 months. Mills’ only sibling,

Karen, was born in Mississippi when Elmer was discharged from the army.

Mills and Karen grew up in Oakdale, where their dad worked as a painting

contractor and their mom was a homemaker. It was an idyllic childhood,

filled with love and pride, especially when Mills earned his Eagle Scout

Award at just 13 years old. His accomplishment was celebrated with a

special train trip to the Boy Scout Jamboree the following year. Mills had a

deep love for his hometown, and he remained close with the Oakdale High

School Class of 1960, which still meets every year.

After graduating from Oakdale High School, Mills attended Modesto Junior

College, where his passion for souping-up cars began. Alongside his friend

Les, Mills took a memorable road trip along Route 66, working along the

way. He later spent one semester at San Jose State before transferring to

Fresno State, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree. One

week after graduation, in 1965, Mills married his sweetheart, Carolyn

Mensing. Then he attended Stanislaus State, where Mills earned his

teaching credential. He went on to teach business classes and coach at

Modesto High and Beyer High. Mills also served six years in the National

Guard.

Mills then transitioned to a career as a building and painting contractor, a

field he loved. He found great satisfaction in the projects he worked on and

the relationships he built along the way. In 1978, Mills and Carolyn

rededicated their lives to Christ, which brought a new focus and joy to their

family life. Together, they enjoyed many family activities, including water

and snow skiing, houseboating, scuba diving, and hunting.

Mills' life was truly blessed with a loving, supportive, and encouraging

family and a circle of dear friends. Through it all, Mills carried a big smile,

especially in the last few years when he was surrounded by those he loved.

He always had a peaceful presence, and his joy was infectious. To God Be

The Glory!

Mills is survived by his loving wife of 59 years, Carolyn, and their two

children: Eric and his wife, Lauren Kerl, of El Dorado Hills; and Kristin and

her husband, Michael Wiebe, of Ripon. Mills' seven grandchildren were his

pride and joy: Lauren Wiebe of Lynden, WA; Grant Wiebe of Ripon; Dillon

Wiebe of Grand Canyon University, AZ; Noah Kerl of UC Davis; Ava Kerl of

Cal Poly, SLO; and Wesley and Anderson Kerl of El Dorado Hills.

Mills was preceded in death by his sister, Karen, whose passing occurred

nearly five years to the day before his own. He is also survived by his

brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Bill and Andi Mensing of Modesto, and

nephews Todd and Ryan Mensing.

We would like to offer a heartfelt and special thank you to the staff at The

Park of Modesto, who welcomed Mills home on September 8, 2024, and to

the many gentle caregivers who made our lives more manageable. We are

also deeply grateful for the compassionate care provided by Bristol

Hospice.

A Celebration of Life honoring Mills will be held on Friday, November 29,

2024, at 11:00 a.m. at Shelter Cove Community Church, 4242 Coffee Rd,

Modesto, CA.

In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to Bristol Hospice, Boy

Scouts of America, Christian Berets, Agape Children’s Ministry, or a charity

of your choice.

A Celebration of Life for Mills will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday,

November 29, at Shelter Cove Community Church, 4242 Coffee Rd,

Modesto, CA.