Bruce Winston Mills

Soldotna resident Bruce Winston Mills (KL7JDR) went to be with his Lord on June 13, 2017. He passed away at Peninsula General Hospital from complications of pneumonia. He was 74 years old.

A memorial service will be held at Soldotna Bible Chapel at 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 21, 2017. Pastor John Rysdyk will officiate. Bruce was born on June 18, 1942, in Bremerton, Washington, to Roy and Gertrude Mills. He was the oldest of eight children. He was a proud veteran of the US Air Force where he worked as a mechanic. He was honorably discharged when he became ill with malaria. On June 21, 1963, he married Patricia in Seattle, Washington.. They raised three daughters: Valerie, Beverly, and Mary. His jobs included: Boeing, Marathon, Colliers, Dresser Atlas, ARCO, ConocoPhillips and BP. While working for Colliers in Long Beach, California, he accepted a transfer to the Collier’s plant in North Kenai, Alaska, where was brought in as a member of the start up crew. In August 1968, the Mills family moved to Soldotna, Alaska, where he lived the remainder of his life.

In 1977, he was hired by ARCO to work at CCP (Central Gas Compressor Plant). He retired from BP in 2004. He was a long-time member of the Soldotna Bible Chapel and Peninsula Bible Fellowship. His hobbies included: ham radio (where he was known at KL7JDR), CB radios (where he was known as Tall Man), tropical fish aquarium (salt water), gardening (potatoes) where he earned many Alaska State Fair records and ribbons for the 1st, 2nd, 3rd largest sized potatoes ever grown in Alaska. He was preceded in death by his parents, Roy and Gertrude Mills; his sister, Shirley Knight; his brother; Johnny Perrell; and daughter, Valerie Mills.

He is survived by his wife: Patricia Mills; daughters: Beverly Mills and Mary Colberg - and husband Sig Colberg; sisters: Loretta Thacker, Sula Olson, Peggy Dicus, Nancy Daffern, Lillian Truesdell; grandchildren: Marshall Mills, Hans Colberg, Tierra Colberg, Jake Colberg; great grandchildren: Aiden Mills; and numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews.

Memorial donations may be sent to Patricia Mills at 31490 Echo Lake Road, Soldotna, AK 99669. Arrangements made by Peninsula Memorial Chapel & Crematory. Please sign or visit his online guestbook at AlaskanFuneral.com.