J. Yvonne Mills

On Monday, November 23, 2020, J. Yvonne Mills, loving wife and mother, passed away at the age of 82 in Maumelle, Arkansas.  Born May 20, 1938 to James L. and J. Jewell Adams Speights, she grew up with a close-knit family of two brothers and two sisters in Benton, Arkansas.  Yvonne eloped on December 23, 1955 to marry Gerald A. Mills and enjoyed a loving marriage of almost 65 years.  They raised two children, Terri and Greg.

Yvonne taught her children by example to value family.  She shared her love through her gifted talents in quilting and sewing.  She enjoyed bowling, sailing, fishing, camping, and her pets.  She took great delight in the simple beauty of wildflowers and was an avid Razorback sports fan.  She was able to travel and spend even more time with family after she retired from many years of valued service from A. O. Smith.

Yvonne was preceded in death by her parents, brothers Wendell Speights and James “Jim” Speights, Jr., and sister Joann Riggan.  She is survived by her husband Gerald, daughter Terri Dickinson (Ben) of Maumelle and son Greg Mills (Karen) of Cary, North Carolina.  Also left to honor her memory are her grandsons:  Justin Stivers, Taylor Mills (Michelle) and Logan Mills (Cindy Blanco).  Her best friend and sister, Lillian Hogue of Benton, Arkansas as well as nine nieces and nephews also survived Yvonne.

A private celebration of life was held on Saturday, November 28, 2020.  Memorials may be sent to support her passion for pets to Maumelle friends of the animals www.maumellefoa.org.  or to support research at the Alzheimer’s Association www.act.alz.org.

Online guestbook at www.SmithFamilyCares.com