Gary Mills

Gary Mills, long time resident of the Charles City area, passed away peacefully on April 30, 2021 after a painful battle with cancer.

A private family funeral service for Gary Mills was held at Trinity United Methodist Church with Pastor Steve Hansen officiating. The funeral service was live streamed on the Hauser Weishaar Funeral Home Facebook page at 11 a.m. on Monday, May 3, 2021. Burial will be at Riverside Cemetery in Charles City.

Gary was born to Oren and Maurice Mills on June 13, 1939 in Floyd, Iowa. He was the 6th of seven children and enjoyed his farm upbringing. He graduated from Floyd High School in 1957. After graduation, Gary moved to Omaha, NE to attend the Universal Trade School, specializing in refrigeration. Upon completion, he took a job at Cedar Falls Refrigeration. While in Cedar Falls, he met Jeannine Martin, who was a student at UNI at the time. It was a whirlwind love affair. They met in January and were married in August of 1961. They moved back to Charles City in 1963. He opened Mills Refrigeration out of their garage beginning his long career as a business owner. Through the years it evolved and changed, adding many employees and working in the areas of plumbing, heating, air conditioning, HVAC, retail sales and even milking equipment. Gary sold Mills Inc. and retired six years ago.

Gary and Jeannine raised 5 children. He enjoyed coaching little league baseball, playing pick-up basketball games with his kids, following the Iowa Hawkeyes and singing in the Mason City Barbershop Chorus, The Charles City Singers and the Trinity United Methodist choir. Gary also enjoyed driving his convertibles and antique tractors while listening to the Elvis station.

As a young adult he enjoyed flying airplanes with his older brother, Wayne. That love evolved into a hobby of building large scale model airplanes. His sons arranged for him to fly one more time two years ago.

Gary is survived by his wife, Jeannine, children; Linda (Bill) Nichols, Michael Mills, Scott (Kelli) Mills, Steve (Sally) Mills, and Robin Kim (Chris Turner). Grandchildren; Richard (Julia) Nichols and Adaline, Robert (Olivia) Nichols and Liam, Reid (Emily) Nichols, Brittany Kuhn, Tyler Kuhn, Erika Mills, Paige Mills and Emilie Mills, sisters; Eleanor Waid and Shirley Krutsinger and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Wayne Mills; and sisters: Thelma Sills, Margorie Roberts, and Betty Noah.

Hauser Weishaar Funeral Home, (641) 228-2323, 1205 South Main Street, Charles City, Iowa 50616 is in charge of local arrangements. Online condolences may be left on the Tribute Wall for the family at www.hauserfh.com.