Betty Mills

Betty Mills

Kalamazoo, MI

Betty Mills, 97, formerly of Central City and Clinton, passed away August 24, 2025 at StoryPoint Assisted Living in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

She was born October 3, 1927 on the family farm in Central City, Iowa to Wayne and Bessie (Goodlove) Henderson. Betty attended the Little Red Schoolhouse north of Central City, then high school in Coggon where she excelled in basketball.

Betty and Darrell Frank Mills were united in marriage on May 4, 1947 at the United Church of Christ in Central City in a double-ring ceremony with her twin sister Belva. Betty & Darrell lived in Clinton, Iowa from 1958 until Darrell’s retirement in 1984 when they moved to the inherited family farm north of Central City. A few years after Darrell’s death in 1988, Betty sold the farm and lived in both Central City and Coggon before moving to western Colorado in 2002 to be near her daughter and then to Kalamazoo in 2011 to live near family.

Betty and Darrell raised two children, Janis Martin (Mike) of Paw Paw, Michigan, and Maurice Mills of Salcha, Alaska. She is also survived by 4 grandchildren, David Agnew (Stephanie) of Kalamazoo, Russell Agnew of Bucaramanga, Colombia, Christian Mills (Cammie), and Brenna Mills Rake of Gillette, WY; 6 great-grandchildren, Cameron, Tyler, and Brady Agnew and Grace, Lily and Katelyn Mills; and many nieces, nephews and extended family. She was preceded in death by her husband, parents, sisters Joanna Anderson, Joyce Henderson, Belva Caryl, and DeVee Sauer and brothers, Victor Henderson, John Henderson, and Hillis Henderson; and granddaughter Desiree Mills.

Betty was an avid sports enthusiast. As a participant, she enjoyed golf, boating, water skiing, and snowmobiling. As an observer, she loved watching grandson David’s hockey games and then her great-grandsons’ hockey games. She was a die-hard Iowa Hawkeye fan as well as the other Big 10 schools, particularly women’s basketball. Over the years Betty & Darrell enjoyed travel to many places, including Hawaii, London, Rio de Janeiro, Jamaica, Mexico and many visits to Alaska where both their children resided.

A memorial service will take place Saturday, September 27 at 10:30 am at United Church of Christ in Central City followed by inurnment in Mills Grove Cemetery on Paris Road.

Memorials in Betty’s name may be directed to the A. Raymond Kalliel Hospice Foundation, 1971 E. Beltline NE, Suite 216, Grand Rapids, MI, 49525 or the United Church of Christ, 38 N. 5th St., Central City IA 52214.