Harold Clayton Mills

Harold C. Mills, 94, of Salem, IA, passed away Sunday, June 2, 2019 at the Henry County Health Center.



Visitation will begin Wednesday, June 5, 2019 at noon at Olson~Powell Memorial Chapel with family greeting friends from 5:00-7:00 p.m. Funeral Services will be Thursday, June 6, 2019 at 10:30 a.m. at Olson~Powell Memorial Chapel with Pastor Diego Chuyma officiating. Burial with Military Rites will follow at the Salem East Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, gifts of love and friendship may be given to Lewelling Quaker Museum or Salem East Cemetery. On-line condolences may be directed to www.olsonpowell.com.



Born June 9, 1924, rural Salem, Harold Clayton Mills was the son of Clayton and Nellie Marie (Van Winkle) Mills. Harold graduated from Salem High School in 1943 then served in the U.S. Navy in the Pacific Theater during WWII. On March 21, 1945, he married Dorothy D. Trueblood at her parents home near Salem. She preceded him in death in 2001. He then married Gracie Warning who also preceded him in death.



Harold lived his entire life in the Salem area working as a farmer, then for Van Winkle Well Drilling, Francis Smith Construction, REC, and finally Good Year Rubber Company from which he retired in 1990. He was a 50-year member of the American Legion Simkin-Pidgeon Post 94. He served on the board of Salem East Cemetery, served on the Salem Old Settlers Committee, volunteered at Oakland Mills Nature Center, was a member of Salem Friends Church and Salem Fire Department.



With a wide variety of interests, Harold enjoyed bowling, raising dogs, hunting, fishing, building Santa Clauses House in Mt. Pleasant, playing baseball and softball (until 70 years of age), traveling to Branson, Missouri, cooking beans for Salem Old Settlers, and supported Habitat for Humanity in Henry County by donating land and helping build homes.



Survivors include three daughters, Linda (Joe) Haffner of Farmington, IA, Pamela (Gene) Stewart of Mt. Pleasant, IA, and Michelle R. Mills of Salem, IA; one son, Jeff (Mary Koontz) Mills of Salem, IA; one sister, Ruby Mills Vance of Ft. Collins, CO; two brothers, Guy Mills of Burlington, IA and Keith (Mary) Mills of West Burlington, IA; one sister-in-law, Mrs. Lyle Mills of Ft. Collins, CO; two grandsons; three granddaughters; five great grandsons; and multitude of nieces, nephews, cousins, and life time friends.



Harold was preceded in death by his parents; his wives, Dorothy and Gracie; one brother Lyle Mills; and one sister-in-law, Mrs. Guy Mills.