FORT LARAMIE – Funeral services for James Leonard Mills, 68, will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 30 at North Hills Baptist Church in Lingle with Pastor David Anderson officiating. Cremation has taken place. A private family burial will be held at a later date.
James was born November 27, 1953 to Bernard and Doris (Gipple) Mills in Cheyenne. He spent his younger years on the family farm outside Morrill, Neb. He graduated from Torrington High School in 1972. He married Judy King on October 6, 1979 in Guernsey. To this union two daughters were born.
James had a love for the outdoors from hunting, fishing, gardening, helping his girls with softball or 4-H, to working on old sports cars, or drives to Laramie Peak, he always made sure a good story or lesson was learned. He enjoyed camping, auctions, spending time with his fur babies and making sure his lessons and orneriness was taught very well to his sidekick – his granddaughter Alyshia.
Over the years James worked at Sunrise Mine in Sunrise, BNSF in Guernsey, lending an extra hand farming to those that need it, Black Thunder Coal Mine in Gillette and most important, being a grandpa.
James is survived by his wife Judy Mills of Fort Laramie; Rebecca (Travis) Moore and granddaughters Makayla, Jessi and Willow of Thermopolis; Cherokee (Brandon) Mills and granddaughter Alyshia of Fort Laramie; aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews and one sister-in-law.
James was proceeded in death by his father Bernard Mills; mother Doris Sampson; step-father Don Sampson; brothers Gary Mills and Verle Mills; infant sister; maternal and paternal grandparents. Memorials can be sent to his daughter Cherokee Mills at P.O. Box 84, Fort Laramie, WY 82212.
