Title	Mr.
Last Name	Mills
First Name	Raymond
Middle Name	D.
Maiden Name
Nick Name	Ray
Place of Birth	Prospect, ME
Date of Birth	1916/05/04
Place of Death
Date of Death	2010/04/03
Publication	Eastern Gazette iss Apr. 10-16,2010 pg 6
Obituary	RAYMOND D. MILLS DEXTER & SEARSPORT - Raymond “Ray” Douglass Mills, of Dexter and Searsport passed away on April 3, 2010, one month shy of his 94th birthday. Born in Prospect on May 4, 1916, he was the son of Evelyn Avery Mills and Percy (Pa) A. Mills. Ray attended the Ferry School in Prospect, a one-room school with one teacher for grades 1-8. He graduated from Eastern Maine Conference Seminary in Bucksport, the class of 1933. When Ray was a young man he worked in his father’s store called Millsview. This building is still standing just beyond Fort Knox in Prospect. After high school, he worked for one year at Bath Shipyard, followed by a year at Portsmouth Naval Yard. He was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1943, doing his basic training at Fort Knox, Kentucky. He then became a member of the armored division #18, based at Camp Chaffe in Arkansas. Ray met the love of his life, Mary (Mae) Falconer of Shirley Mills, Maine, on a blind date. They were married on December 26, 1944. In February of 1945, after only six weeks of mar- riage, he was stationed overseas for more than a year. After his discharge from the army, he and Mae settled into their home on Railroad Avenue in Dexter. Ray worked as a moulder at Fay Scott for 36 years, later serving as a guard and superintendent for ten years. Ray was a lifetime member of the International Order of Odd Fellows, which he originally joined in 1935 at the Bucksport Fort Knox Lodge #29. He later transferred his membership to the Plymouth Lodge #65 in Dexter, where he held several offices, in- • cluding Noble Grand and financial secretary In 2006, he received a jewel from the Odd Fellows representing 72 years of membership. He was a member of Dexter Sunrise Kiwanis for 20 years. Ray and Mae were members of the Dexter United Methodist Church for over 50 years. When they moved to Searsport in October of 2003, they transferred their membership to the Belfast United Methodist Church. Ray enjoyed playing golf at the Dexter Municipal Golf course, calling himself a “duffer.” His other hobbies included reading and playing cribbage. From January 1, 200S, until April 2, 2010, Ray played 2,594 cribbage games. Since Ray and Mae moved to Searsport they have been lovingly cared for by their family as well as caregivers Diane, Dixie, Dee, Fredi, Sue, Robin, June, Karen and Roxanne. Five generations of the Mills family have enjoyed the Mills camp on Center Pond since 1959. Ray had unconditional love for the members pf his family, whether they joined from birth, marriage, or adoption. Ray’s beloved wife of 62 years passed away on January 15, 2006. Ray is survived by his daughters and their husbands, Jeanne and Bud Merrill, and Jan and Ron Leighton, all of Searsport; grandchildren, Brian and Cara Merrill of Belfast, Allen and Sara Ewing-Merrill of Portland, Karen Keniston of Searsport and her friend Gil Russell of Stockton Springs, Amy and Dan Ryder of North Jay, and Sarah and Chris McLaughlin of Bowdoinham. He had several great grandchildren: Seth Haven, Jacob and Kevin Keniston, Rachel Mae and Kathryn Ewing-Merrill, Avery Ryder, and a new baby expected in September which Ray lovingly nicknamed “Junior.” He is also survived by his brother-in-law, Paul and his wife Chris Falconer, sister-in-law Helen Whitmore, and several nieces and nephews. The family invites you to join them in celebrating the life of this remarkable man at 4PM, Thursday, April 15, 2010 at the Belfast United Methodist Church, 23 Mill Lane, Belfast. Interment will be held at the convenience of the family at Maple Grove Cemetery in Prospect. If desired donations may be made to: Belfast United Methodist Church Music Fund, 23 Mill Lane, Belfast, ME 04915; Christian Community Church, do Diana Paine, 185 Zion’s Hill Road, Dexter, ME 04930; or to Sunrise Kiwanis, do Marilyn Hartford, 121 Hartford Lane, Sangerville, ME 04479. Arrangements are with the Long Funeral Home & Cremation Service, 9 Mountain St., Camden.