Fred Mills

FRED EDMUNDS MILLS
1930 ~ 2016

On June 28, 2016 Fred teed up, aimed for the stars, and sunk a hole in one.

Fred Edmunds Mills was born October 19, 1930 to Fred and Katherine Mills.  He married his sweetheart, Jeri, August 14, 1953 in the Salt Lake Temple. Together they had four children.  They had a wonderful, adventurous life together until her death in October 2011.  Fred’s adventures continued in July 2013 when he married Sharon Cheney

Survived by his wife, Sharon, children Craig (Cherie), Sharon (Doug), James, Linda (Todd), 13 grandchildren and 22 great grandchildren; sisters Lois, Faye, and Janet and brother, Ray.  Many nieces, nephews and caring in-laws.  Sharon’s children Debra (Blaine), Rick, Kip, and Jeff (Sondra).

Preceded in death by his wife, Jeri, his parents, Fred and Katherine, and his brother Bud.

Fred was well known for his quick wit.  S.A.U. (Smart Ass University) has lost its dean.  Fortunately, he has descendants who inherited his sense of humor and are ready to carry on for him.  Fred lived a full, happy, healthy life.  When trying to remember when Fred was sick or complained about any aches or pains, all we can do is scratch our heads, then shrug our shoulders.  So even though shortly before passing, Fred declared he must have drawn the short straw with his devastating, final illness, we feel he drew the long straw.

Throughout Fred’s life, he was an example to all around him with his quiet but firm leadership.  His life lessons were summarized in a letter, written by one of his grandkids, using golf as an analogy.  Some of the lessons are:

It's ok to get mad, but don't let the anger ruin the game. On the times I would get the opportunity to go and play with you, you showed me that no matter your experience level, how many times you've played a course, or how well you knew your clubs, things wouldn't always go your way. The ball flies in the lake, goes 10 feet when you’re 150 feet away. You taught me its ok to get frustrated by those shots, heck even throw out a curse word or two. What's not ok is to take your aggression out on the course, on your equipment, or on your group. Take your lumps and get back in the game because you taught me the only person that can beat you on the course is yourself.

It's the company you keep. No matter how well or poorly you played each round, who you played with was more important than anything. Those Sunday afternoon talks would often mention your golf buddies, Phil, Brent, LeRoy, Bud, Richard, and many times your family. You showed me how important it is to keep good friends and surround yourself with a good support system. I am grateful to have been a part of those games and will always treasure those in my heart.

There was no one more honest than Fred.  He was completely non-judgmental, never worried about what others were doing.  He just would make sure and do what he needed to be doing.  Fred was a member of the National Guard.  He loved his weekends there.  Jeri called his National Guard weekends “playing army” and tying rags on trees.  As a part of the National Guard, he helped build Guardsman Pass.  In later years he loved to drive his family through the pass which he helped build.

In Fred’s younger years he enjoyed deer hunting; although it was the outing part of it which he cherished.  We always believed he would pray “Please don’t let me see a deer because I can’t take it home.  I don’t want to clean it and I don’t want to pack it off the mountain.”  After a while his wife, Jeri, called his hunting “taking his gun for a walk.”

For many years Fred was very active in Scouting.  Even as he enjoyed a great association with hundreds of teenage boys and great leader associates like Dick Pearce and Milt Hall, he was a positive influence in their lives.  Even on vacation, he would serve without hesitation.  One time in Vernal, he pulled a three-year old boy from the bottom of a swimming pool, saving the boy’s life.  The parents were extremely grateful, but Fred just considered it his human duty and shunned the recognition from it.

He was a very faithful home teacher.  Four hour visits to one family he visited were pretty much the norm.  He spent many years serving in the ward clerk’s office.  Bishops could always rely on Fred doing his part.

He was a favorite uncle to his nieces and nephews because of his fun interaction with them.  He definitely was a people person.  He will be missed by all who knew him whether they called him sweetheart, dad, brother, grandpa, great-grandpa, uncle, neighbor, or friend.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, July 2, 2016, 11:00 a.m. at the Cottonwood 8th Ward, 6301 South 2300 East. Viewings will be held at the Cottonwood 8th Ward, Friday, July 1, 2016 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m . and Saturday , from 10:00 to 10:45 a.m .

In lieu of flowers, please donate to the LDS General Missionary Fund, www.ldsphilanthropies.org/missionary.html .

Funeral Recording