Gary Mills

Gary Wayne Mills, 73, a retired District Manager for Farmers Insurance, passed away peacefully on Monday, July 22, 2024, after a seven-year battle with Alzheimer’s. He was born in Waco, Texas, on October 11, 1950, to Willie and Leona Mills.

His parents died early in his life, and at that time, he went to live with his sister and her husband, Bunny and Dean Allison in McGregor, Texas. Gary graduated from McGregor High School in 1968, where he made many lifelong friends. He attended the University of Texas before transferring to Stephen F. Austin, where he met his wife, Kathy. They married in 1975 and honeymooned in Red River, New Mexico, which sparked a lifelong love for the mountains.

After graduating college, he coached football and basketball at Copperas Cove High School in Copperas Cove, Texas, and at Chapel Hill High School in Tyler, Texas. After coaching, he worked for Pfizer Pharmaceuticals for several years before joining Farmers Insurance where his career spanned 36 years. As a District Manager for Farmers Insurance, he qualified for many achievement clubs including 12 President Councils, 10 Championships, and 30 Topper Clubs, as well as many other outstanding awards and recognitions.

As one of his close friends described him, Gary was an “uncommon individual.” He approached life with a rough, positive mental attitude. No matter the challenges he faced, personally or professionally, he was always resilient and looked for the positive in any situation. He was very generous and enjoyed helping others where he could. He sponsored and helped run the UCP/Easter Seals Golf Tournament for 20 years, which raised money for United Cerebral Palsy. He also supported the Challenge Aspen adaptive ski program to ensure his son, Michael, and other kids like him, would have the equipment they needed.

Gary enjoyed playing golf any chance he got, whether it be after work with his sons, on vacations with his wife, or on company trips with his friends. He loved to take his family on vacations to the mountains. In the summer, it was riding jeep trails, fishing, and hiking. In the winter and spring, it was skiing.

Gary was preceded in death by his parents, Leona and Willie Mills, sister Earline Lewis, brother-in-law Gene Lewis, brother Billie Mills, brother-in-law Dean Allison, and grandson Noah Brooks Mills.

He is survived by his wife, Kathy Mills, of Southlake; his three sons, Matt Mills and his wife, Lana, of Fort Worth, Mark Mills and his wife, Elizabeth, of Overland Park, Kansas, and Michael Mills of Southlake; his eight grandchildren, Mallory and Miranda Mills of Fort Worth, and Sarah, Rebecca, Zachariah, Hannah, Micah, and Pricilla Mills of Overland Parks, Kansas; and his sister, Bunny Allison, of McGregor, as well as many nieces and nephews.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Thursday, September 12, 2024, at 2:00 p.m. at White’s Chapel Methodist Church in Southlake, Texas.

In lieu of flowers, please consider supporting Kathy and Michael in the Northeast Tarrant County Walk to End Alzheimer’s. Donations should be made “In Memory of Gary” to their personal fund-raising page at The Walk to End Alzheimer’s, http://act.alz.org/goto/Kathy Mills.