Shirley Mutchler Obituary (2021) – Elko, NV – Elko Daily – Legacy.com

Shirley Jean (Kendrick) Mutchler

September 1, 1929 – August 10, 2021

Shirley Jean (Kendrick) Mutchler was born September 1, 1929 to Goldie and John “Slim” Kendrick in Hot Springs, South Dakota. She was the oldest of five siblings; Raymond (Jan), Eugene, Patricia, and John Palmer (Barbara) came after her and she helped to raise them all. She always enjoyed school and learning, and carried that love of reading books with her long into old age. Shirley had a full life and enjoyed a wide variety of activities throughout it; basketball in high school, piloting planes after graduating, camping with her kids-and later her grandkids, golfing in retirement, traveling, and being with people she loved. She had her oldest child, Gay Dean, in 1949 with her first husband; whom she divorced; then began working for the train depot throwing mail to support her daughter. In 1955, she met the love of her life, with whom she traveled through this land side by side with from then on out.

Erven James Mutchler was born June 3, 1929 to Ruth and John C. Mutchler in Deadwood, South Dakota. He grew up being one of five children; Helen (Murry) Miller, Harold (Betty), and Bob (June) all older, and Joyce (Clarence) Mills is the youngest. He grew up learning carpentry by his father’s side, as well as, how to break horses and tend the sheep on his family’s ranch. While in, and after graduating high school, he would compete in rodeos with his brothers in the bronc and bull riding often taking 1st place. Erven also enjoyed many different activities in life; hunting, carpentry, being an electrician, camping with his kids-and grandkids, drinking beer, traveling, spending time with friends and family, as well as, lots and LOTS of fishing well into his old age. In 1952 he was drafted by the Army, then honorably discharged in 1954. While working as a hard rock miner he met the love of his life, Shirley, and they married October 29th 1955.

Their daughter Jo Ann was born in 1956 and their son John Erven was born in 1958 while they were living in South Dakota. After some hard work and a few moves, The Mutchler’s found themselves in Carlin Nevada in 1965. He was a Maintenance Forman for Carlin Gold (Newmont), while she raised their children. Once the family was fully settled, Shirley opened The Carlin Coffee Shop in 1968 where the Cavalier Motel Office is now. Erven worked very hard and built his sweetheart a new, bigger building for their business. April 1st 1972, Erv and Shirley’s Café was opened at 1015 Chestnut St., where Cee Gee’s Saloon exists today. They fed miners, muckers, highgraders, construction workers, community members, and everyone in between; often lending an ear or advice to those who needed more than just their bellies fed. Shirley ran the café until she retired in 1985. She then played with the grandkids: Shannon (Cathy), Dan, Ben (Brittany), Brandy (Dave), and Sheri (Alfred), at home until Erven retired from being an electrician for Western States (Barrick) in 1990. After that the couple enjoyed many years of retirement together. They traveled around the country, went deep sea fishing, camped, lived in Goshen Idaho for 13 years and were snow birds in Arizona and at the River Lodge Resort in California for 28 years. In 2015 they moved back to Carlin for the summers until 2019 when they moved home permanently.

In 2019 Shirley’s health had declined to the point where she was on hospice and travel was no longer something they could do. The Family brought them home to Carlin from Arizona in March, and she was cared for with great love until she passed away in her sleep from old age on July 10th that year. She was 89 years old. Erven lived on at home tinkering and working around the house until 2020 when his health declined and he needed to be on hospice. The Family cared for him with great amounts of compassion and love for 13 months before he passed away in his sleep. Old age took Erven from this world and reunited him with his soul mate Shirley on August 10th 2021; he was 92 years old.

We will be having an After Life Party for our Beloved Family at 2pm, October 2, 2021 in Cee Gee’s Saloon. Please come and join us with your stories of our Family. Cherish your family, keep good memories, and share your love with everyone you can.