Allen Mills

Closed casket services are scheduled at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, August 4, at First Baptist Church for Allen Mills, Artesia, New Mexico. Mr. Mills, 81, died Sunday, July 31, 2005 in Artesia. Rev. Rick Sullivan will officiate at the services. Interment will follow at Woodbine Cemetery with Military funeral honors and Masonic graveside rites. Visitation at Terpening Son Mortuary will begin at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday. Allen was born February 7, 1924 in Alamosa, Colorado; the son of James S. Mills and Olga Lee Watson Mills. He moved to Littlefield, Texas at the age of three; and came to Artesia at the age of seven. He served in the United States Marine Corps during World War II and was very proud of his service on the USS Pennsylvania as a seagoing marine. In 1947 he was married to Nida Dunnam in Artesia. She preceded him in death in 1953. He married Ellonia Callahan in 1955. In 1985 he was married to Tommy Sanders. He owned and operated Mill's Upholstery in Artesia since 1948. He was a member of First Baptist Church; a 32nd Degree Mason and a Shriner. Allen was preceded in death by his parents; by his wife Nida; by a daughter Janie Lair; and by brothers Tharon W. Mills and Sanders Lee Mills. Survivors include children Judith Mills Wong and husband Norbert of Honolulu, Hawaii, Jo Lynn Hope and husband Sonny of Artesia, Mitzi Baker and husband Dave of Lakewood, Colo., Monica Parker and husband Sid of Tulsa, Okla., Craig Mills of Farmington, N.M., and Mendi Dunn and husband Jeff of Tulsa; seven grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; numerous surrogate children and many friends. The family requests memorial contributions be made to the Masonic Scholarship Fund, P. O. Box 1275, Artesia, NM 88211 or to the Shriners Hospitals.