Leonard Redell Mills

Leonard Redell Mills, long-time resident of Groesbeck, passed away at Waco on Thursday, December 18, 2014, at age 90. Graveside services will be here at 9:00 A.M. on Tuesday, December 23, 2014 at Faulkenberry Cemetery. Leonard (known locally as Redell) was born in Farrar on February 2, 1924 to Leonard Mills and Willie Mae (Fife) Mills. The family moved to Groesbeck, where he graduated from high school. Redell joined the U. S. Marines in World War II, serving from 1942 through 1946. He remarkably served on both Iwo Jima and Guadalcanal without being wounded. He did come home with malaria, which bothered him periodically the rest of his life. The VA sent Redell to Oregon for treatment of his malaria, and two of his children were born while he was in Oregon. Redell worked as an electrician, living 15 years in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and then in Broken Arrow, OK. He met his wife, Irma in Broken Arrow, and they were united in marriage. After ten years in Oklahoma, Redell retired from his career as an electrician, and he and Irma moved to Groesbeck. Redell was not a man to be retired, but remained very active doing good in many areas of the community. He would help anyone at anytime. He gave rides to people needing to go the doctor in Waco and waited for them to bring them home. He was active in the American Legion and he honored his fellow veterans by playing the taps and assisting in military honors at many funerals. His good buddies included Jack Rasco and Arlan Hudson. He and Mr. Hudson volunteered many hours in cleaning up areas in Groesbeck and in many rural cemeteries. One of his favorite projects was putting out signs to identify the location of all the old rural schools around Groesbeck. He was a Baptist, and had read the Bible cover to cover three times. He always enjoyed talking with others and he loved to tell stories and share memories and history. He had a great sense of humor and always had a joke. He shared four years in his later life with his special friend, Margaret Russell. After his health declined, he moved to Assisted Living in Waco where he lived the last three years. One of the “Greatest Generation” (who lived up to that name in his military service and community service) has left us. Redell was preceded in death by his parents; his wife Irma Mills; sons, Larry Mills and Billy Joe Mills; sisters, Mickey Gettman and Annell Harringer; and brother, Billy Aden Mills. He is survived by his daughter and son-in-law, Barbara “Dee” and Mac Crocker of West Linn, Oregon; son, Leonard D. Mills of Boca Raton, Florida; son and daughter-in-law, Raymond and Susan Mills of Palm Beach, Florida; niece, Becky Anderson and her husband Earl of Lorena who have been a special help in seeing about her uncle; and dear friend, Margaret Russell of Groesbeck.