Johnny Mills

Johnny Ray Mills, 75, of Millersville passed away Sunday, Sept. 25, 2016, at his home in Millersville.

The 12th of 13 children, John was born Oct. 18, 1940, in North Little Rock, Arkansas, to Jesse and Sylveen Penrose Mills. He was raised in Arkansas, where he was active in scouting and in the Assembly of God church.

John's mother passed away at the age of 56, prior to his senior year in high school, so he moved to St. Louis to live with older siblings who already had secured employment there.

He was a 1959 graduate of Ritenour High School in St. Louis and briefly attended ITT Technical School in St. Louis.

John was an honorably discharged veteran of the U.S. Army, serving from Sept. 8, 1959, to Aug. 11, 1961. He returned to St. Louis and met the love of his life, Kathryn Maintz, through her aunt, Dorothy Maintz Horn. The couple married Jan. 25, 1969, in Millersville but lived and worked most of their lives in St. Louis, where they raised their daughter, Veronica.

John's employment includes ACI; the former Garvey Industries; store manager of S. G. Adams Printing and Office Supplies; Harvard Industries in the shipping department; and Willamette/Wettereau Industries, retiring in the early 2000s.

John was a faithful husband and father. While raising Veronica, the Millses enjoyed camping and fishing. John and Kathy enjoyed gardening. In 2008, John and Kathy moved to Millersville and began to share life more closely with Veronica and her three children. John took the greatest pleasure in the enjoyment of watching his grandchildren learn and experience new things.

Loving survivors include his wife of 47 years, Kathryn Mills of Millersville; daughter, Veronica Hull and children, Hunter, Katee and Haedyn, all of Millersville; five siblings, Raymond (Karen) Mills of Antioch, Arkansas, Sylveen (the late Doyle) Ballard of Antioch, James (Dorothy June) Mills of Sturgis, Mississippi, Jesse H. (the late Mary) Mills of Jacksonville, Arkansas, and Dorothy Woods-Fitzpatrick (the late Billy Woods and the late Jack Fitzpatrick) of Antioch; two sisters-in-law, Lee (the late Joe D.) Mills of Antioch and Carol Ann (the late Jerry) Ruesler of Jackson; and many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.

He was preceded in death by five siblings, Robert Mills, Joe D. Mills, Charles (Loretta) Mills, Eula Mae (Clarence) Skyles and Marguriette (Dee) Rankin, and two young sisters, Lucille and Louise Mills.

Full military honors will be observed at noon Wednesday at the Missouri Veterans Cemetery in Bloomfield.

Visitation is from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at McCombs Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Jackson.

A memorial service will be held at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home, with Josh Williams and the Rev. James Mills officiating.

Memorials may take the form of contributions to Old Salem Cemetery, Southeast Hospice or donor's choice of church or charity.

Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting mccombsfuneralhome.com.