Obituary of Robert Jeffrey Mills

Robert passed away peacefully at home in Carmel with his wife Diane holding his hand as he slipped away. The middle of three siblings he was born in Cleveland, Ohio of Canadian transplant parents, Roy C. Mills and Ida Rau Mills. He attended Cleveland schools, graduated from Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, and received his medical degree in 1946 from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. After four years of surgical residency in Minneapolis he spent two years as a surgeon in the Air Force in Arizona, followed by two years of specialty training in colorectal surgery. A Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, Robert set up a private medical practice in Fresno in 1955, retiring after thirty years in 1985. Having played high school and college tennis he enjoyed participating in the sport throughout most of his adult life. Since his late 30s he held a special interest in working with local architects and builders in creating six personal homes over these many years in Fresno, Carmel and Indian Wells, CA. Blessed with mental acuity he maintained an interest in the latest technology and always looked forward to new horizons. He and Diane married in Carmel in 1978, and upon his retirement in 1985 they relocated there to a home they were building. The next years were spent splitting their time between the sea in Carmel and the sun in the desert of Indian Wells. Robert was predeceased by his sisters Evelyn Mills and Doris Mills Glenny, his son Robert J. Mills, Jr., his grandson Robert J. (Jeff) Mills, III and his former wife Lois Mills Knight. He leaves behind his loving wife of 38 years Diane (nee Maliani), daughters Bonnie (Dr. Alan) Newhoff of Phoenix and Cynthia Mills of Fresno, grandchildren Melissa Mills, David Newhoff and Morgan Newhoff, two great grandchildren Jordan and Ryan, three nieces and a nephew. With heartfelt gratitude to cardiologist Dr. Richard Gerber for over twenty years of expert care and to the nurses of the Hospice of the Central Coast for their compassion these last two weeks. Contributions may made to Hospice of the Central Coast, 2 Upper Ragsdale Dr., D120, Monterey, CA 93940 or to the SPCA for Monterey County, PO Box 3058, Monterey, CA 93942-3058. Private services will be held with interment at San Carlos Cemetery in Monterey. Condolences may be written to the family at www.bermudezfamilyfunerals.com Service Information