Pike Township Family Stories
THE PHILLIP E. MILLS FAMILY
Nichols, Iowa Centennial Book 1884-1984, pages 289-290
By Melodi Smith MillsPhil and Melodi Mills have resided at 521 Washington avenue in Nichols, the former Cliff Schmitt residence, for a little over eight years.
Phillip Eric Mills was born the son of Victor F. Mills and Barbara Jo Hanft Mills. He attended the Nichols school through the seventh grade and was a graduate of West Liberty High school.
Melodi Rae Smith was born to George Smith and Charlotte Midkiff Smith. She attended a half-year of kindergarten at Nichols Elementary school. Then her family moved away for a few years, returning following the death of her grandmother. She attended part of a year in sixth grade here, then completed school in West Liberty, graduating from the High school.
They were married at the Nichols United Methodist church. The Reverent Robert Foster officiated. The couple was attended by Ronald Digney, then of West Liberty, now deceased, and June Wilkerson, then of West Liberty, now of Seattle, Washington. The Mills have two children, Carrie Ann Mills and Mark Phillip Mills.
Phil enlisted in the United States Army under the delayed entry program. He left for Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, where he completed his basic and secondary training, specializing in communications. He then received temporary duty at Fort Knox, Kentucky, where he received training as an armored personnel carrier driver, then pulled an eighteen month tour of duty in Erlangen, West Germany, located about twenty minutes south of Nurenberg.
Melodi and Carrie joined him there. The family lived in an apartment two miles from base in a neighborhood where there were no English speaking neighbors. It was interesting, to say the least. The following spring Phil’s grandmother, Wilma Mills, her niece and husband, cane to visit and all traveled for a week through the beautiful castles, countryside and mountains of West Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Lichtenstein. The Alps were beautiful, and it was very rewarding to see how other parts of the world live.
Melodi and Carrie returned that summer, and Phil was honorably discharged with the rank of Specialist 4th Class that fall. They moved into their current home [1984] upon his return.
Phil has been employed at Mills Motor Company since his return, working with his father in the business that has been in his family for over forty years. He is currently secretary-treasurer of the Nichols Volunteer Fire department, a position his grandfather (Frank E. Mills) was the first to fill when the department was formed in 1926. He is a member of the Nichols First Responders, plays softball on the Nichols Nockers slo-pitch team and enjoys hunting, fishing and reading.
Melodi is employed by the Cropmate Company division headquarters in Nichols as part-time office help. She is a member, past chairman and past treasurer of the Nichols Community club, a First Responder and member of the choir and a deaconess in the Nichols Christian church. In her “spare” time, she enjoys sewing, reading and craftwork.
Carrie Ann Mills is at the Nichols school She enjoys dancing lessons, reading and music and school. She attends Sunday school at the Nichols Christian church, where she is enrolled in a class with teacher, Kathy Chown.
Mark Phillip Mills, also likes to go to school. (Years from now when he reads this, he probably won’t believe it, but he truly does!) He attends school at the Nichols Elementary school. He, too, attends Sunday school at the Christian church with teacher Janet Gregg, as well as Kids of the Kingdom on Thursday at the United Methodist church. He enjoys playing with his cars, soldiers and toy guns and, as many little boys are now, is totally enthralled with anything “Start Wars.” His mother predicts that with the imagination the boy has, he’s destined to be either an actor, writer or politician. (He’s long winded, as well.) .
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Page created December 16, 2010 by Lynn McCleary