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Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
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Jack Mills
JACK E. MILLS
Cedar Rapids
Jack E. Mills, 90, of Cedar Rapids, died at his home on Saturday, March 18, 2017. Memorial service is at 1 p.m. Saturday, March 25, at Cedar Memorial Park Chapel of Memories. Inurnment with military rites: Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery. Friends may call at Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday.
Survivors include two sons, Daniel of Marion and Mark (Karen) of Ames; three daughters, Jody (Steven)
Caldwell of Colorado Springs, Colo., Susan (Bryan) Sachs of Baltimore, Md., and Kelly Kunc of Cedar Rapids; and one sister, Aileen Estrem of Oklahoma. He also is survived by 13 grandchildren, Erin, Michael, Zach, Jacob, Madison, Jason, Travis, Mitchell, Jarod, Molly, Samantha, Kerry and Cody;
10 great-grandchildren; and his significant other, Odette Welton, and her family, Mike, Linda and Suzanne, and their children.
He was preceded in death by his wife; a son, Michael; and a grandson, Shawn.
Jack was born Jan. 23, 1927, in Flint, Mich., the son of Elwyn and Iva Travis Mills. He married Helen G. Green in 1946 in Cedar Rapids. Helen passed away in 1993.
Jack was a Cedar Rapids police officer from 1951 to 1963. He was Policeman of the Year with the CRPD in 1956. During his law enforcement career in Cedar Rapids, he climbed the KGAN Tower to talk a person down who attempted suicide.
In 1963, he was appointed by the JFK Administration as Deputy U.S. Marshal for the Northern District of Iowa. As a U.S. Marshal, he served at The Chicago Seven trial and participated in the witness protection program that included members of the Mafia. He also served in the South during the racial tensions of the '60s. He retired in 1983 after serving 20 years in the marshal service, the past six years as Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal. Jack later worked as maintenance manager at Brucemore for several years.
Jack was a member of LADOS and Widow and Widowers. He was part of the "Greatest Generation" and proudly served in the U.S. Navy as a seaman during World War II. From 1942 to 1945, he served on a light cruiser, the USS Santa Fe.
Jack was a wonderful husband, father, grandfather and friend, whose memory will be cherished by all who knew and loved him.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be given to the Cedar Rapids Policeman's Association.
Please leave a message or tribute to the Mills family on the web page, www.cedarmemorial.com under obituaries.
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