Otto Liona Mills

On Tuesday, April 13, 2010, Otto Liona Mills passed away quietly in the home he built 45 years ago, in Snowflake, Arizona. He was surrounded by his family. Otto was born on August 16, 1925, in Show Low Arizona, to an Arizona pioneer family. Show Low was still a small frontier community at his birth, and consisted of a few hundred people at the time. He was the oldest surviving child of nine, born to Eph and Fenella (Nell) Penrod Mills. He grew up in a time when they hauled water from Show low Creek, Chopped wood for fuel, lived off of what they could produce themselves and replace horse and buggy for the "new" automobile. He went to the grade school on the hill in Show Low, and rode the bus to Snowflake High School, when the only rode there went out through Linden and across Lone Pine Dam. While in high school, (1939-1942), he played football and basketball. He enlisted in the Army Air Corp. when he was 17 years old and finished high school while training to be a pilot. He ended up being a nose gunner on a B-24, and flew 30 combat missions in the Pacific before he was 20 years old. He was in the 380th Bomb Group. He flew reconnaissance over Japan, after the bombing of Hiroshima, and assisted in rescue missions to evacuate POW's. He earned an Air Medal with two Oak Leaf Cluster, and two Presidential citations. When the war was over, he came home to Arizona, and met his sweetheart of 59 years, Betty Rae Branson. They were married on September 24, 1946. They spent most of their married life in Snowflake. They were the parents of four children, Betty Dianne (Paul) Reynolds, Patricia Clair (Stephen) Reidhead, Daniel Otto (Jana) Mills, and Steven Kay (Shelley) Mills. All have lived and raised their families on "Otto Drive" in Snowflake. Otto attended Electronics School, Machinist School, and Gregg College of Commerce. With his father, he built and operated a grocery store and café` in Show Low in the late 40's. They also had a construction company, and built many homes in Show Low and Snowflake. He has been involved in the Logging and Lumber business, worked for Arizona Public Service, and also worked several years as Research and Development Machinist for Motorola. He moved to Snowflake in 1963 to work for Southwest Forest Industries, and later to become the owner of Mills Department Store in Snowflake. He enjoyed working on his farm the remainder of his life. Otto has been active in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and has served in many callings as a Stake Missionary, Ward Clerk, Stake Clerk and High Priest Group Leader. He was the Mayor of Snowflake and was involved in a new sewer and water system for the town. He loved his country, the land, his horses and especially his family. He and his children, developed 80 acres west of Snowflake for raising cattle, alfalfa, and FAMILY, which is now Known as Otto Drive. He is survived by his siblings, Velva (Lynn) Kartchner of Snowflake, Kent Mills of Mesa, Doyle (Cheryl) Mills of Show Low, Drexel (LoRee) Mills of Montana, Kathy (Jack) Tippets of Show Low; four children, 23 grandchildren and 43 great-grandchildren. Otto is preceded in death by his wife, Betty Rae Branson Mills; parents, Eph and Fenella Mills; brothers, Eph Mills and Vaughn Mills; granddaughter, Patricia Deanna Reynolds. He leaves a legacy of love and service. There will be viewing for friends and family on Sunday, April 18, 2010 at the Owens Livingston Mortuary - Heritage Chapel 84 E. 19 S. in Snowflake from 6:00 to 8:00 in the evening, and at the Main Street Chapel of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints the following day from 10:00 to 11:00 A.M. Services for celebrating the Life of Otto L. Mills will begin at 11:00 A.M. on Monday April 19, 2010. Interment will be at the "Mike" Ramsay Memorial Cemetery following the service.