Florence Marie Mills

Family will receive friends on Saturday, August 26, 2023 at 09:30 a.m. until time of service at 10:30 a.m. at Holy Ghost Revival Center, 457 Gilbert Street, Columbus, OH  43205. Interment: Forest Lawn Memorial Gardens. Livestream https://www.youtube.com/live/uPRZeml8Lw4?si=6ICxDhx2ZpfwMtS5 

Florence Marie (Campbell) Mills was born November 08, 1932, in Kerrville, TX.  She was the fifth of six children born in the union of Alvin & Edna Mae (Brown) Campbell.  She went home to be with our Lord Jesus Christ on Tuesday, August 15, 2023 after a long illness from end-stage chronic kidney disease.  Florence graduated from Doyle School in Kerrville in 1951.

Music has always been a big part of Florence’s life.  While in high school through her late thirties, she was a featured singer/soloist in many groups.  In the late 1940’s/ early 1950’s, she was the lead soloist for the A.G. Rogers Jamboree radio show, broadcast live on Saturdays, on radio stations KERV in Kerville, TX, and KONO in San Antonio, TX.  From her junior year of high school through the next decade, she was in the Harmonic Four, a group made up of her sister Victoria Campbell (Alto), friend and school mate Nell Mills (Soprano), and Martin Walker (Bass/Baritone), with Florence singing 2nd Soprano and Alto.   Known for their soulful rhythyms and tight four-part harmonies, the Harmonic Four took Southwest Texas by storm, singing on the radio, in supper clubs, and other popular events.  In her thirties, Florence was the front-woman and featured singer of the jazz group, the Louie Neal Trio, comprised of “Prof.” B.T. Wilson (her school principal and “surrogate father” after her father died) on the stand-up bass fiddle, her brother Levi James “L.J.” Campbell on guitar, and Louie Neal on drums.  Like the Harmonic Four, they entertained on the “supper club” and jazz club circuit through Texas, as well as various radio shows, even doing stadium events, rodeos, and wherever the demand would take them. 

To help her mother – a young widow – support the household, and to also become financially independent after a painful divorce while raising two girls under four years old, Florence had several day jobs, while singing at night.  She cleaned house for Dr. Packard’s wife – the leading socialite at the time in Kerrville, who was married to the chief cardiac surgeon of Sid Peterson Memorial Hospital in Kerrville.  Dr. Packard’s wife took a shine to young Florence, and gave Florence her Sr. Prom dress, as well as her gently used cocktail dresses to sing in after high school.  She also worked in Central Supply at Sid Peterson Memorial Hospital, and because of her interest and aptitude, was often called upon to circulate instruments in surgery.  Florence was a skilled seamstress and took in sewing, making dresses, suits, and partywear for friends, family, and even her teachers Mrs. Ellie Cheeks (English) and Ms. Griffin (Home Economics) without even having a pattern!  While still singing, she eventually moved to Del Rio, TX and took a sewing job at Hicks Hayworth Blue Jean Factory as a seamstress, while she and her two baby girls Teresa and Regina lived with her sister Juanita and Benny Moten temporarily until she could get on her feet.  Benny was a civilian cook in the mess hall at the nearby Laughlin Air Force Base.  He worked for none other than a young and handsome Staff Sergeant Edgar P. Mills, who was in charge of the food service on the base.  Indeed, Juanita and Benny introduced Edgar to Florence (who he called Marie – her middle name).  Edgar and Florence became great friends, and after a short courtship, were married for almost 61 years until his death in 2020.  Edgar became the dad to Florence’s girls, and they added two more children to this union, Stewart and Vicki.

Because of Edgar’s military career, the family lived in multiple states and overseas.  While living in Okinawa, Japan, Florence gave her heart to the Lord and became a born-again believer!  She gave up singing in supper clubs to sing in church and church choirs – which she did all the way until her passing at 90 years young.   Witnessing to others and winning souls for Jesus was her true passion.  She won many hearts for the Kingdom of God, both as a part of an evangelism team as well as through one-on-one ministry.  She became known as “Mother Mills”, even being installed as the “Church Mother” at several churches in which she became a member, especially Abundant Faith Church of God – under the leadership of Bishop Charles E. and Pastor Ethel Jean Brown, for which she was a long-time member (over 20 years) until her death.

Mother Mills will be remembered for her funny sense of humor, her no-nonsense approach to life and “telling it like it is”, knowing and loving God and having a passion to introduce others to him, loving her family, and being an “adopted mom” to others.  But most of all, for enjoying life and traveling with her husband Edgar, and raising a family and grandchildren that she was very proud of.    Florence is predeceased by her parents Alvin and Edna Mae Campbell, her siblings and their spouses Janie B. Mack, Levi James (Zula Mae) Campbell, Juanita (Benny) Moten, Victoria (Ellsworth) McCampbell, and Alvin Jr. (Margie) Campbell.  She is survived by daughters Teresa Hammons (Morris) Exum, Regina (Lynn) Walter, Vicki Mills, and son Stewart (Stephanie) Mills, 9 grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren, 2 brothers-in-law Rudolph (Jennie) Wilson, and Maurice Mills, and a host of beloved nieces and nephews – as well as several “bonus children” Beth and Tim Alkire, Julia and Jerome Simmons, and Lorenzo Parker, and her dearest and oldest friend since childhood, Mrs. Annye Lewis Walker of San Antonio, TX.

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