Sylvia May Walker Mills passed away on Aug. 29, 2020, at age 77 from oral cancer recently diagnosed in June. She was born on May 7, 1943, at her family farm on Curtis Rdoad in Arundel, the daughter of Earl Walker and Edna Howard Walker.
Sylvia had six siblings; Frank, Suzanne, Howard, Donald, Ronald and Robert. All that is surviving is baby brother Robert Walker, who still lives near the old farm in Arundel. Sylvia graduated in 1961 from Kennebunk High School. She moved to Portland to live at the YWCA to attend the Plus School of Business.
Sylvia then married Robert Mills in 1963 and they moved to Hillsborough New Hampshire. Soon after they had three children, Susan, Karen, and Robert Jr. While living in New Hampshire, Sylvia worked in Peterborough for Hunnewell Corp and Brookstone. She and her children returned to Maine in 1978 and shortly after arriving home, began working for Shields Meats.
She then began a long career in the car dealer business working in the office for Methot Buick, Crepeau Motors and Jolly John Auto City, where she loved working in the dealerships and made many friends. She greatly enjoyed “Jeepin” with her dealership family at Jolly Johns.
Sylvia was sadly plagued with several medical conditions that took her out of work much earlier than she expected. Sylvia’s greatest joy was her grandchildren and she loved that she was able to spend so much time with them as they grew. Sylvia looked forward to her weekly lunches with her longtime friends, to include Wanda Walker and Pat West Hubbard, whom she has known for 60 years.
The ladies dined at local restaurants and she especially loved The Seafood Center of Arundel along with owners Theresa and Chris, who treated her so kindly. She also especially looked forward to the holidays with her children and grandchildren, looked forward to the family reunion each September with the Walkers, Joneses and Turner families.
Sylvia spent almost every Saturday with daughter Susan and they typically went to breakfast, then on to Kennebunk Beach or St. Ann’s Church where they enjoyed watching the waves and taking in the tourists, and was always on the look- out for “41,” President George Bush.
Sylvia will be sadly missed by her children, Susan Mills (Suzanne), Karen Leach (Thomas) and Robert Mills (Angela) and grandchildren, Jamie, Benjamin, Calli, Kayleigh and Katarina, along with her grand-cats and grand-dogs. Sylvia’s family would like to thank the wonderful doctors and nurses at Maine Medical Partners Oncology – Dr. Bian; Maine Medical Center Radiation Therapy; the nurses and CN’s with Hospice of Southern Maine and Gosnell Memorial Hospice House, with special thanks to nurse, Cheryl, who not only showed great compassion in making Sylvia comfortable in her last hours, but also provided guidance and support to her children during her last hours of life.
Sylvia’s family will have a private burial at the family’s private cemetery, but do invite family and friends to share in an outdoor Celebration of Life on Saturday, Sept. 5, 2020, at the home of Wanda Walker at 243 Curtis Road, Arundel ME 04046, from noon to 3 p.m. Masks are greatly encouraged.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making donations to Gosnell Memorial Hospice House c/o Hospice of Southern Maine, 390 Route 1, Scarborough, ME. 04074.
To share a memory or leave a message of condolence, please visit Sylvia’s Book of Memories Page at www.bibberfuneral.com.
Arrangements are in care of Bibber Memorial Chapel, 67 Summer St., Kennebunk, ME 04043. www.bibbermemorial.com.
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