Rev. Roy Hanna Mills, 1897-1957

  Roy Hanna Mills, son of Louis S. and Lora Hanna Mills, was born in Waverly, New York on November 8, 1897. While still a child, the family moved to Buffalo, New York, where Roy attended public school. After an attack of rheumatic fever had interrupted his high school work his father took him into his electrical company and taught him his trade. This was the foundation for Roy's work with the labor unions in Des Moines, where he served the local Trades and Labor Assembly as chaplain for five years. Because of this he was asked to serve on the board of the National Religion and Labor Foundation.

  Some ten years experience as an electrician was terminated by a definite call to the ministry on December 10, 1922, which date was thereafter known as his spiritual birthday. In preparation he enrolled in Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, in Lima, New York, from which he was graduated in 1926. Desirous of broadening his training he came to Cornell College at Mount Vernon, Iowa, in 1927, for further study. While a student there he was appointed to serve churches at Brick Chapel, Preston, and Solon, and was admitted on trial in the Upper Iowa Conference in 1931.

  After graduation from college he attended Drew University, from which he received his B.D. degree in 1935. A year later he was transferred to the Newark Conference in New Jersey, where he served pastorates at Maplewood, Westwood and Paterson. In 1952 he was transferred to the Iowa-Des Moines Conference and appointed to the Easton Place Church in Des Moines. While here he was privileged to help set up a unit of Good Will Industries, in which he had much pride and joy.

  In 1943, Roy was given the degree of Doctor of Divinity by Cornell College.

  On June 15, 1932, he was united in marriage to Mary Sidles, of Jerome, Iowa, who survives him, as do a son, George Louis, and a daughter, Lora Ellen. A sister, Mrs. E. E. Plummer lives in Rochester, New York.

  On November 28, 1957, death came in a heart attack at the home in Des Moines. Memorial services were conducted by Dr. Howard Buxton and the Reverend Everett Dorr in the Easton Place Methodist Church. Burial was in the cemetery at Waverly, New York.

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  Transcribed from the Annual Report of the South Iowa Conference of the Methodist Church, page 171.