Anita Jane Mills

Anita Jane Coats was born February 27, 1932 in Johnson Co., Ark., the only child of Estelle Fry Coats and James Elam Coats of Wagoner, Okla. Both parents were descendants of early pioneer families of Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama and Arkansas.

Anita was educated at Northeastern State University, Oklahoma where she was a music major, a member of Rho Theta Sigma Honorary Scholastic Society and Sigma Sigma Sigma social sorority.

Having begun piano lessons at age 7, from age 10 to 18 she studied under Verna Ruble Waggoner, who had been taught the musical style, technique and heritage of Claude Debussy by her teacher, E. Robert Schmitz, himself both a friend, contemporary and student of Debussy’s. Anita served as a church organist and choir member as a student in Oklahoma and later in Shreveport and New Orleans, La.

In 1951, she was married at the home of her parents in Wagoner to Travis W. Mills, her high school sweetheart. They moved to Shreveport, La. where she was a Federal Government employee in the Veterans Administration, the U.S. Attorney’s and U.S. Marshal’s Offices. Later residences were in New Orleans, Lafayette, Metairie, Hammond and Covington, La. In Atlanta, she worked at the Centers for Disease Control during the 1970’s. Anita was a member of Alpharetta Presbyterian Church, Crossroads Sunday School Class, Lydia Circle and the Chancel Choir. She was also a member of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, United Daughters of the Confederacy, and an original member of Women of Windward.

A devoted wife, mother and grandmother, family was always her first priority. She is survived by Travis W. Mills, her husband of 75 years, two sons; Travis J. Mills of Tulsa, OK, Thomas S. Mills of Sandy Springs, GA, three grandsons; Thomas Scott Mills, Jr. (Olivia Dorman Mills) of Atlanta, James Clark Mills (Ashley Newbern) of Kennesaw, GA, Travis Robert Mills of New York, NY and great-granddaughters, Ruby and Madeline Mills.

Funeral Service for Anita Coats Mills was held Friday, March 6, 2026 at 2PM at Alpharetta Presbyterian Church, Alpharetta, Ga.

Graveside service will be held 2PM Saturday, March 21, 2026 at Srygley Cemetery in Coal Hill, Arkansas.

Anita’s favorite charities were Alpharetta Presbyterian Church, Children’s Health Care of Atlanta and The Salvation Army.