Mitch Eckerle

Robert Mitchell "Mitch" Eckerle, age 61, of Columbia, passed away on Tuesday, December 5, 2023, at Boone Hospital Center. He was born on December 7, 1961, in Boone County, Missouri.
Mitch grew up in New Franklin, Missouri and graduated from New Franklin High School. He married Teresa Purvis and together they had a daughter, Mandy Rae. He later married Terri Goebel on July 15, 1989, and they had a daughter Tera.
Mitch worked at Automatic Tool & Fastener (AT&F) in Columbia for over thirty years. After they closed, he worked for Diel Custom Trim, and Midway Golf & Games. He most recently enjoyed sharing a business for over 10 years with his wife focused on real estate to include ventures in Costa Rica which brought them both immense joy.
Mitch was a fun loving, joyful person, who never met a stranger. To know Mitch was to love him. He was so incredibly proud of his grandsons and had the patience of a saint, teaching his grandsons everything "they know". Mitch was the one who always brought the strays home to care for. His mom described him as having so many friends, and he was fiercely loyal to every one of them. He would do anything for anyone at the drop of a hat. He also loved fishing (especially trout fishing), hunting, skiing, scuba diving, boating and traveling to Costa Rica with his wife, family, and friends.
Left behind to cherish his memory is his wife, Terri Eckerle; his mother and bonus dad, Linda and Richard Emerson; daughters: Mandy Rae (Jason) Eckerle, Tera Marie (Alec Nelsen) Eckerle; sisters, Mendy (Brian) Diel, Abigail (Jeremy Schultz) Eckerle; grandchildren: Aiden Mitchell Smith, Jace Allen Ruleman; nieces and nephew Haley (Brock) Davis, Madison Diel, Waverly Eckerle-Schultz and Emerson Eckerle-Schultz; and other family and friends. He was preceded in death by his dad Larry "Lee" Eckerle; his grandparents; his aunt Mary Ellen Jennings; his uncles, Jim Eckerle and Don Eckerle; and cousin Kim (Eckerle) James.
A Celebration of Life will be held on Thursday, December 21, 2023 at Midway Golf & Games from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 pm. Please wear bright colors and bring your best "Mitch" stories.
Memorial donations in his honor may be made to Missouri Department of Conservation Youth Hunting & Fishing Program.
Arrangements are under the direction of Parker-Millard Funeral Service & Crematory, 12 East Ash Street, Columbia, MO 65203 (573) 449-4153. Condolences may be left online for the family at www.parkermillard.