In Memory
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James Wesley Mills
August 5, 1937 ~ April 18, 2024
James “Jim” Wesley Mills, 86, passed peacefully into the arms of our Lord and Savior on Thursday, April 18, 2024, at his home in Niles, MI. Born in South Bend, Indiana on August 5, 1937, he was the first-born son of Wesley Eugene, and Annabel Mills. Two years later, his only sibling was born, a brother, Thomas “Tom” Lee Mills, who survives.
The two sweet, rambunctious red heads kept their mother very busy for the next two decades. As a young boy his main interest was animals, birds, and reptiles, earning him the nickname “Animal Boy” at school. He obtained a Scientific Collector’s License from the Indiana DNR, enabling him to legally possess and tend to his menagerie of snakes, turtles, a racoon, an opossum, just to name a few. In his teen years, falconry caught his interest.
On January 4, 1958, he married his true love and sweetheart Maxine Bryan. They were married for 57 years. Together they had two children, Beth Ann, and James Wesley, Jr. By then he was heavily involved in falconry, and his children were raised surrounded by a variety of hawks, falcons, and the occasional owl, giving them the rich, unique, and rare experience of “growing up falconry” that was a normal part of their everyday lives. Awe-inspiring, breath-taking experiences that few humans have the rare and blessed privilege to witness and be a part of, which his children will always cherish.
The strong bonds he forged with his falconer friends in the early years he maintained and continued right up to very his last days. He will be remembered in The Archives of Falconry in Boise, Idaho for his contributions to the art and sport of falconry.
Jim’s other big interest was the guitar. He loved playing acoustic guitar and owned several custom guitars. He played as often as he could and shared his love of guitar with friends and family, and especially with one of his long-time falconer friends of many decades, who he loved dearly. After retirement, he and Maxine, and later his second wife, Patsy, would travel every year to the CAAS Convention (Chet Atkins Appreciation Society) in Nashville, TN and to the music festival in Winfield, KS.
Jim started his career at Burroughs Corp. in Grand Rapids, MI fixing adding machines and other business machines. When he landed a job with Old Kent Bank in Grand Rapids in the data processing center on the second shift, boredom on the job led him to study all the huge, computer training manuals. This impressed his employer, who quickly promoted and trained him. As his computer knowledge grew, he changed jobs, moving up each time. In the late sixty’s he was head-hunted by Polaroid Corporation and moved his family to Westborough, MA and was part of the team that developed the SX70. But South Bend was the family’s hometown, and after two years he moved his family back to the South Bend area to work for Associates for a short time. He then worked for Bendix (now Honeywell), first as a Senior Project Systems Analyst, and then as Computer Security Analyst, where he finished out the last 19 years of his career.
He was a member of North American Falconer’s Association and Indiana Falconer’s Association.
In 2015, he lost his beloved wife Maxine to Alzheimer’s Disease. But the Lord blessed him a second time, and at the age of 78 he found true love once again, with Patsy Fincher. He loved Patsy with all his heart. He loved her kids and their spouses as they were his own. Sadly, after only three short years he lost his beloved Patsy to cancer. His ties to the Fincher family remained strong until his last day on earth.
James leaves behind to cherish his memory a daughter, Beth Ann Vische of Niles, MI, a son, James Wesley Mills, Jr., (Annette Romano) of Niles, MI, a grandson, Matthew Allen Paver, of Terre Haute, IN, two great-grandsons, Ethan Andrew Paver of Terre Haute, IN, and Luke Alan Paver of Terre Haute, IN, a brother, Thomas Lee (Susan) Mills of Niles, MI, two step-sons, Joseph Edgar “Ed” (Donna) Fincher of Rochester, IN, Paul (Sheryl) Fincher of Pasco, WA, a step-daughter-in-law, Donna Fincher of Rochester, IN, and a step-daughter, Shelli Fincher of Rochester, IN and many other family and friends.
James was preceded in death by his parents, Wesley and Annabel Mills, his wife, Maxine Mills, his second wife, Patsy Fincher, and his beloved stepson, David Scott Fincher.
Funeral Services will be held on April 29, 2024, at Palmer’s Funeral Home/ Welsheimer Chapel/North, 17033 Cleveland Road, South Bend, IN. Visitation from 10:00am – 11:00am, funeral services at 11:00 am with lunch to follow at Michiana Community Church, 51637 Ash Road, Granger, IN
The family would like to express their heartfelt gratitude to the team at Heartland Hospice. Their exceptional care and compassion made the difference, ensuring his final days were comfortable and pain-free.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Heartland Hospice or Shriner’s Hospital for Children.
4/24/2024 djb
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