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Charles Peter Mehls, age 88
November 13, 1936 – January 18,2025
On the evening of Saturday, January 18, 2025, Charles “Chuck” Mehls passed away peacefully at the Deerfield Gables in New Richmond, WI having family and caring nursing staff regularly with him through his last few days. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife – Anne, his parents, and numerous other relatives & friends. He is survived by his four children: MaryBeth (Dennis), Daniel (April), David (Shannon), and Peter (Kirstin), ten grandchildren: Scott Raddatz, Randy (Mikala) Raddatz, Gretchen Raddatz, Elizabeth (Devin) Smith, Cameron (Caroline) Mehls, Carlee Mehls, Keilan (Megan) Mehls, Liam (Helen) Mehls, Amelia Mehls, and Benjamin Mehls, and five great-grandchildren: Addie, Easton, Merritt, Alex, and Kason. Chuck was born in Chippewa Falls, WI as the eldest son of the late Carl and Leona Mehls and was an older brother to William (Kathy) Mehls.
Chuck graduated from Chippewa Falls High School in 1954 and from the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire in 1959 with a B.S. degree in Education. Throughout high school and college, Chuck loved music – especially the drums. Chuck was the high school band president in 1954 and continued as a drum major and band president at the university from 1957-1958 as well as the president of the Sigma Tau Gamma fraternity from 1955-1956.
Chuck served his country in the U.S. Army from 1961-1962 and achieved the rank of 1st Lieutenant. He then went on to serve with the Army National Guard for over 20 years. On December 27th, 1960, Chuck was united in marriage to Anne McCoy of Sparta, WI. The couple settled in New Richmond where he served as a teacher in the School District of New Richmond for several decades until his retirement from public school teaching in 1993. After retirement, he continued his teaching vocation at Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College (now known as Northwood Technical College) as well as serving in several offices: New Richmond Junior Chamber of Commerce, St. Croix County Board of Supervisors (1994-2008), and Emergency Government Director – New Richmond (1996-2015). He and a group of dedicated citizens started the New Richmond Area Ambulance Service (NREMS) in 1967, and he was a member of the ambulance and rescue unit until 2003. He also was a member of the Wisconsin Traffic Safety Association and Wisconsin Emergency Management Association. Chuck received the New Richmond “Heart of Gold” Award in 1988 and was named New Richmond’s 2017 Citizen of the Year. He belonged to the New Richmond United Methodist Church, was a member of the Post 80 American Legion – including being a commander of the Honor Guard, and was a commander of the EMS Honor Guard. He coached football and was also an active volunteer at the New Richmond Heritage Center and was a member of the Square Dance Team – “the Willow Squares”. He loved to collect antique ambulances and display them and their respective medical equipment at car shows for many, many years.
Chuck was a dedicated family man who enjoyed playing cards (hand and foot) with his wife and friends, camping with his family, and traveling extensively.
Visitation was held on Thursday, January 30, 2025 from 4-8 pm at the R&D Catering Center 1490 131st Street, New Richmond, WI and on Friday from 12 – 1 pm. A Celebration of Chuck’s Life was at 1 pm on Friday, January 31, 2025 at the R&D Catering Center. Interment was in the New Richmond Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the American Legion Post 80 or Wisconsin EMS Honor Guard. Arrangements are with Bakken-Young Funeral & Cremation Services.
Click here to watch the recording Chuck’s service
23 Comments
Dear Mehls family, you have my deepest condolences.
Chuck Mehls leaves a legacy that his vast sphere of influence will always hold dear.
We join you in honoring his life and his contributions to a grateful community.
💙🙏🏼
To the Mehls platoon,
Thank you for sharing so much of your father with us! He not only had years of teaching, coaching and the ambulance starting his Dirty Dozen. We are honored to join you in this man’s celebration of Life and it was a life well lived! Peace be with you all!
Prayers and healing to the entire Mehls family and friends what a true hero Chuck was he will be missed by everyone! May the memories we all have live on forever. Gone but not forgotten.
He will be greatly missed. A true public servant
Chuck will always be remembered as a Leader, Teacher, Friend, and Legacy. I am honored to have had him as a Mentor. Love and Prayers to the Mehls family. Thank you for sharing your Dad with so many. He will truly be missed. Susie
I am so shocked and saddened by the loss of your Dad.
He was a wonderful mentor and friend to not only myself, yet to many so many others..
Please keep my deepest condolences and prayers are with your family and friends.
I know how proud of you all his was.
Again my deepest condolences.
My only regret is not being there to honor him in his passing.
Sympathies,
Lynne Berget
So very sorry for your loss. Mr. Mehl’s as he always said (call me Chuck) was my Drivers Ed teacher. He was a great man and wonderful friend to many of us. My prayers to the family. Chuck will live on in our hearts with memories we share.
We are all sad to read this. Charlie had a huge impact on so many people! For me it all started in High School in Drivers Ed. He had such a huge impact on teaching us to be good drivers. As to add more, his Military service had more impact. Many of us served with him in the 1-128th Infantry Battalion, 32nd Brigade. His service as Honor Guard Commander for American Legion Post 80 in New Richmond was endless and truly remarkable. He is a dear friend and will be missed by all. RIP my friend. To the family, we send our sincere condolences.
So sorry to hear of the passing of your father, Dan, April & family. He sounds like he was an amazing Father, Grandfather & person. Rest in Peace, Chuck with your beautiful Wife.
While Chuck’s passing is a sad day for New Richmond and the countless number of students and residents whose lives he touched in so many ways, I can only smile when I think of him teaching my NRHS classmates and me in Driver’s Ed and many of my friends in Health Careers, his coaching and support, his dedication to being an EMT and so much more in the medical services community, and of course, his storytelling skills. I was fortunate enough to both know and respect him in my youth, and to be able 40 years later catch up with him several times while reminiscing and hearing more stories. The positive impact he had here in New Richmond must never be forgotten. My condolences to the entire Mehls family. Rest in peace, Chuck.
My first encounter of him was likely as a 1990 hunters safety student when he came to talk to our class. I’ve learned a countless multitude of things from him since! A special man, a legend of community service- so very sorry for your families loss. He has made a true impact on this world – and we are all better for knowing him.
Mr. Mehls was my Driver’s Ed teacher in high school and I have fond memories of him. My deepest condolences to his family and friends.
Such an amazing man mentor friend.
Sending prayers to all family and friends. 🙏
Mr Mehl’s was my driver’s ed. teacher & Health Career’s class instructor, he was a great teacher, I enjoyed having him he will be missed.🙏🏻
To the Mehls Family: There is enough words to say about CHUCKLES. OTHER THAN HE WAS A GREAT MAN AND WILL BE DEEPLY MISSES.. TAKE CARE AND GOD BLESS.
So many good words have been written about Chuck.
Still not good enough for this good man.
It was a privilage to know him, to be his student. He will always be remembered. Rest in peace.
I came to know Chuck through my position at WITC(Nothwood Tech) as he helped teach EMS classes for years for me. Even though he left unopened cans of pop in the EMS van to explode during the freezing weather, he was truly a great educator and person. I was also on the Wisconsin EMS Honor Guard with Chuck and enjoyed the times he would run the drills for us and help us figure our right from left. He will truly be missed for all he contributed to so many people and organizations over the years. It is comforting to know he is now reunited with all the friends and family that have gone before him. To the family, make sure you check all his belongings to make sure he hasn’t hidden away any road flares he “re-stocked” over the years. Rest in peace.
My deepest condolences to the Mehls family. I cannot even begin to express how much your father impacted my life. TRULY. I have always said that I wouldn’t be where I am in my life if it wasn’t for Chuck Mehls. And this is true. He was what I needed when I needed it as a troubled teen. About three or four years ago, he sought me out at my job at Hudson Hospital when he was doing courier work in New Richmond. That meant the world to me. I loved that man. I just want you all to know what a positive influence he had on my life. Thank you Chuck ♥️ Rest in Peace.
So very, very much one can say about this man who lived such a commendable life. He was on this earth to help his fellow man and that he did everyday of his life. His driver’s ed training alone indirectly saved many lives as did his medic training. He taught me so much in the classroom about safe driving. He was the man on the scene doing the rescue work after horrible road crashes, something not many can do. Rest in peace Mr. Mehls as you lived the life of a public servant and you will not be forgotten.
Very sorry to hear of the great loss to the family and the greater new Richmond area. He was the ultimate public servant! Always a friendly face with a great sense of humor! A great father who raised 4 amazing kids! He will never be forgotten!
My sincerest condolences to the Mehls family. Chuck was a huge influence in my life and career. May he rest in peace.
Beautiful service. Uncle Chuck and Aunt Anne were lovely gracious people who always made space for you, while inserting fun into everything. They bought me a BP cuff when I was in nursing school that I took with me everywhere I moved. He got excited when my son took just a wee bit of interest in emergency care around the age of 10, packing up a big backpack full of supplies and bandages for him. My biggest regret is that we have always lived so far away. Both will be deeply missed. Love to all of you, my dear cousins.
My sincere condolences to Mehls family. I had the good luck to work with Chuck for many years at the Richmond high school. Cruck was well-known to just about every student that went through the school and took his driver Ed classes and also the students that he lead into various kinds of healthcare programs. He was a gifted teacher and for that reason when I had student teachers I always had them observe his classes to see what a real pro is like. His influences carry-on not just for the local community but also in the larger St. Croix Valley area because of his community work. Very few people can leave such a important legacy to the community they served in. We are all better for Chucks efforts.
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