Dolores Mills

Dolores Mills was born on November 29, 1929, in Merced, California, to Marquis Lafayette Wiggins and Sallie Oliver Davis. She was the youngest of seven children. She attended elementary schools in the Atwater and Livingston areas. She attended Livingston High School, but graduated from Merced High in 1947. After graduating, she moved to Los Angeles for 15 years. She moved back to the Atwater area in 1961. She began employment with Merced County Medical Center (MCMC) in 1964 as a Dietician Aid and retired in 1984 after 20 years of service. She met John “JW” Mills and they married in Seattle, Washington in 1972. They were married for 26 years. She was a member of St. Matthew Baptist Church in Merced. She enjoyed assisting in the church kitchen – cooking for many of their church dinners. She was also a member of the women’s devotions. She loved making tasty holiday and Sunday dinners. She like baking; taking long scenic country drives; fishing; listening to music; and sitting outside enjoying the day. Even through times of adversity she was motivated and remained a strong Christian woman. To keep herself uplifted she read some of her favorite scriptures in the Book of Psalms and listened to songs of praise. She was very strong in spirit and mind. Her kind spirit and loving heart has left its mark on a vast amount of family and friends near and far. We find comfort in knowing that God has called her Home. She did all that she needed to do on Earth and we will meet her again. She leaves to cherish her memory, her son, Michael Lawrence Hicks of Modesto; five grandchildren, Adrian, Amethyst, Alexis of Merced, California, Kyle and Ashton of Fullerton, California. 16 great-grandchildren, and one great-great grandchild; and a host of nieces and nephews, cousins and friends. She was preceded in death by her husband, JW Mills; her parents, Marquis Lafayette Wiggins, step-father, Rev. Felton Davis and mother Sallie Oliver Davis; siblings, George Wiggins, Lloyd Wiggins, Elmer Wiggins, Solomon Wiggins, Lee Wiggins, Lafayette Wiggins and Betty Jordan; great-grandson Devonte Means Hicks; and nephew Todd Hawkins.

A visitation was held on Thursday, December 29, 2016 at Stratford Evans Merced Funeral Home. A funeral service will be held on Friday, December 30, 2016 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Matthew Baptist Church located at 1057 N Street Merced, California 95341 with burial to follow at Merced District Cemetery.

Arrangements under the direction of Stratford Evans Merced Funeral Home, Merced, CA.