Eldon G Mitchell

September 7, 1936 - December 10, 2021

Eldon George Mitchell (September 7, 1936 – December 10, 2021) Eldon Mitchell was born in Erie, ND, and raised on a nearby farm. Shortly after he graduated from high school, his father George expanded the family herd of Holsteins and built a milking parlor. For a time, it seemed that Eldon, the middle son, would follow in his father’s footsteps. Eldon milked the cows twice a day every day, made sure that the milking equipment and bulk tank were spotless, and did his share of farm chores. The milking parlor radio was permanently tuned to KFGO, the local country music station. We cannot be sure, but it might have been that radio, because when his parents sold the farm and retired to Texas, Eldon made a breathtaking career change. Nearly 30 years old and with no broadcast experience, he set out to become a disk jockey—and the genre was not rock and roll. Within a matter of months, he was spinning country hits at station WVOC in Battle Creek, MI, where he adopted Al Miller as his on-air name. Then came Oakes, ND, San Antonio, TX, and Guymon, OK. For years, fans in these towns would associate the name Al Miller with the music that they loved. After a lengthy career that took him far from his early home in North Dakota, Eldon moved to Belen, NM, where he lived quietly in retirement. He passed away in Albuquerque, NM, after a short illness that was complicated by covid infection. Eldon was preceded in death by his parents, George and Lillian Collins Mitchell; brothers, Danny and Byron; sisters, Lura Uecker and Letha Pueppke; nephew, David Pueppke. He is survived by one sister, Lorene Kvittum of Clyde, OH; and by nieces and nephews Herbie Uecker of Bulverde, TX, Jody Krohn and Jeff Mitchell of Albuquerque, NM, Debbie Cotter of Las Cruces, NM, Julie Maxey of Yukon, OK, Nancy Eley of Casselton, ND, Larry Kvittum of Clyde, OH, Ann Kvittum of Oxnard, CA, Steve Pueppke of Okemos, MI, Eric Pueppke of Amenia, ND, George and Joe Mitchell of San Antonio, TX, and Elizabeth DeWaters of Canyon Lake, TX. Never married, Eldon was as much a brother as an uncle to many of his nieces and nephews, some of whom are not so many years younger than he was. Country music is an acquired taste, and many of us got our first sample in the presence of the future Al Miller and his record collection. It didn’t always stick, but Uncle Eldon was always fun, and for some of us, country music did stick. He took us to stock shows and rodeos (he even invented a board game called Rodeo), tried to beat us at Scrabble (and occasionally succeeded), and drilled us on the names of all the countries and capital cities in the world (such as they were in those days). Many years of broadcasting amplified his voice, which often spilled into boisterous laughter that, sadly, will not be heard again. We are all a little bit better for having known him. May he rest peacefully. NO services at this time.