David Mills

David M. Mills, age 58, of Faribault, MN, passed away March 26, 2016, at the VA Medical Center in Minneapolis.

Memorial services will be held on Saturday, April 2, 2016 at 11:00 a.m. at the Parker Kohl Funeral Home & Crematory of Faribault. Interment, with full military honors, will be held at Fort Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis, MN.

Visitation will held at the Parker Kohl Funeral Home on Saturday from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m..

David Michael Mills (Mad Dog), was born November 1, 1957 in Faribault, MN to Gilbert Mills and Lila (Mills) Caron. He attended several elementary schools in Faribault and the Faribault High School. He joined the U.S. Army 82nd Airborne in March of 1976 and in August of 1976 successfully completed the Airborne Course. He was honorably discharged in March of 1979 with the rank of SP4. He graduated from Cook and Bakers School as a Feed Service Specialist. In addition to being an Army Cook he would volunteer for extra jumps and was very proud of having over 100 jumps to his credit. While in the Army he received several letters of appreciation commending him on his various activities. After leaving the Army he was an Over-the-Road truck driver for Caron Service Center, Harrison Trucking and Fitzsimmons Trucking. In 1987 he decided to become a horse groomer in the field of horse racing. His love of animals showed in his loving care of the horses. He traveled with many of his horses to numerous racetracks. In 1997 he had a liver transplant which disabled him for the rest of his life. He passed away from lymphoma cancer at the Comfort Care Unit at the Minneapolis Veteran's Hospital.

He is survived by his mother Lila Caron of Faribault, MN; by his sister, Lois Price of Owatonna, MN; by his two Labrador dogs, Dino and Betty; nephews, John (Jeannette) Mills, Matt (Samantha) Mills and Jordan Price; stepsisters, Sue (Bruce) Benson, Patty Caron and Lisa (Neil) Wadekamper; step nephews, Alex Benson and Travis Kern; step nieces, Ann Benson, Laura Benson, Meghan Kern, Jennifer (Blake) Hanson and Katherine Wadekamper; aunts, Fern Johnson, Evelyn Swanson, Lourdas Thrasher and Diana Thrasher; uncle, Harry Nieman; many grand nieces, grand nephews and cousins.

He was preceded in death by his father Gilbert Mills, his sister, Cathy Mills, his stepfather, Floyd Caron, brother-in-law, Richard Price, grandparents, William and Amanda Thrasher, Vern and Daisy Mills and Luella Caron and by many aunts, uncles and cousins.