Willis Foster Mills, 81, of Mooresville, N.C., passed away at home after a long illness.

He was born on May 30, 1943, in Mooresville to the late James Ames Mills and Lillian Alberta Farrar Mills. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his oldest son, Willis Lee Mills; brothers, Roger Mills, James Mills, John C. Mills, and Ben Douglas Mills; sisters, Pauline Colvert and Georgiana Berryman; and nephews, Ben Douglas Mills Jr. and Terry Lee Mills.

Willis served 21 years in the North Carolina National Guard and retired in 1994 as a Sergeant. He loved his family, especially his grandchildren, and lived to see his great grandchildren.

He is survived by his loving wife of 51 years, Geneva Mills; son, Aaron Mills (Stacy); grandchildren, Italia, Marquis (Kerrington), Xaviera, Ayadra, Ashanti, Ziyana and Indya; sisters-in-law, Shirley Mills, Anne Mills, Lizzy Butler, Essie White, Carol Dobbs, and Cathy Dobbs; brothers-in-law, Johnny Dobbs and Albert Dobbs; nephew, Marvin Caldwell[ niece, DeLisa Caldwell; and numerous other relatives and friends.

The family will receive friends on Friday, May 23, 2025, from 11 a.m. to 12 noon with a service following at 12 noon at the Chapel of Cavin-Cook Funeral Home. Burial will follow at 2:30 p.m. at Salisbury National Cemetery.

Cavin-Cook Funeral Home & Crematory, Mooresville, is serving the Mills family. Condolences may be made to the family at www.cavin-cook.com.