Charles "Buck" Mills

Charles “Buck” Mills, Jr., 81, of DeWitt, Iowa, passed away Tuesday, October 1, 2024, at Fieldstone of DeWitt.

A funeral service will be held at Lost Nation Church, Lost Nation, Iowa, on Monday, October 14, 2024, at 10:30 a.m. Following the service, the family will greet relatives and friends at a luncheon to be held at First Congregational United Church of Christ, DeWitt at 12:00 noon.

Charles William “Buck” Mills, Jr. was born October 26, 1942, Pittsburg, PA, to Norma Kathryn (Sloan) and Charles William Mills Sr. He grew up in Pennsylvania, where he was active in the church as a teenager. Buck graduated from Edgewood High School in 1962. He then attended Tarkio College in Tarkio, Missouri, and graduated with a B.A. in History and Political Science in 1966. While attending Tarkio, Buck met the love of his life, Charyn “Cheri” Owens. They were united in marriage at Community Presbyterian Church on May 27, 1967, in East Gary, Indiana.

Buck and Cheri lived a short time in La Grange Park, Illinois, where he worked at U.S. Steel, before settling in Dubuque, Iowa where they raised their family. During their years in Dubuque, Buck served in many volunteer positions at Westminster Presbyterian Church while pursuing a career in sales management, administration, and personnel management, at Sears, Roebuck and Company, and CyCare Systems, Inc. It was during those years that he felt called to the ministry. He attended the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary and graduated with a Master of Divinity in 1990. Buck was ordained in the First Presbyterian Church of Dubuque, where he served as pastor, and later served congregations in Tekamah, Nebraska, and Blue Grass, Iowa, retiring in 2007. Buck continued to preach, filling the pulpit where needed in churches around northeastern Iowa.

Buck loved the outdoors, sharing this passion with youth groups, making several canoe trips through the Boundary Waters of Canada. Having been a lifelong advocate as well as a congressional lobbyist for the conservation movement, he proudly served as President of the Iowa Wildlife Federation and was a representative to the National Wildlife Conference. Buck was responsible for passing the Bottle Bill in Iowa, encouraging consumers to return their containers for recycling. He also enjoyed serving as Chaplain at Camp Wyoming, now Camp Bear Creek. His spiritual journey reached new heights when he had the opportunity to lead a tour of Israel with his Bible Study group, walking the very paths of biblical figures. This experience deepened his connection to the Holy Land, and he often spoke of the transformative power of witnessing these sacred sites firsthand. Buck also enriched his family’s love of nature with boating, fishing, and camping trips on the Mississippi River, and yearly vacations hiking in the mountains of Colorado and Utah.

Closest to his heart was his only granddaughter, Emily, who was the apple of his eye. He was blessed to have been able to spend so much time with her, taking walks and sharing his knowledge of wildlife and farming, teaching her to fish and golf, hearing her sing in church, delighting in her smile and sweet nature, and making sure she was raised properly as a Hawkeye fan.

Anyone who knew Buck could easily picture him with a yellow lab faithfully by his side, a good book on his lap, a golf club in his hand, a fishing line ready to cast, and always his trusty walking stick.

Charles is survived by his wife of 57 years, Charyn; his son, Tim, daughter, Kathy (Eric) Dahlman, and granddaughter, Emily Dahlman (with Jared Dvorak); his brother, Carl (Suzy), a cousin, Betsy Leach; a niece, Sarah (John) Jen and their children, Nicholas, Harrison, and Katherine, nephews, John (Julie) Mills, and Andrew Mills; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Peggy (Stan) Conrad, Connie (Garry) Anderson, and Nancie Flenard, and a nephew, Mark (Sue) Anderson and their children, Taylor and Anthony; and a special family friend, Krissi Kallemeyn, who became a very dear caregiver to Buck.

Included in those welcoming Buck into Heaven are his parents, Cheri’s parents, Glen and Aileen Owens, aunt and uncle, Carolyn and Lendol “Tim” B. Leach, a cousin, Lendol “Tim” Sloan Leach, and his brother-in-law, Paul Flenard.

The family requests that instead of flowers, gifts be made to Lost Nation Presbyterian Church, Lost Nation, Iowa, or First Congregational United Church of Christ, DeWitt, Iowa.

Schultz Funeral Home, DeWitt, assisted the family. Condolences may be expressed at www.schultzfuneralhomes.com

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