James Lee Mills

James L. Mills, age 73, of Lansing, with his loving family by his side, went to be with the Lord on January 13, 2021. Born March 14, 1947, in Lansing, MI to the late Audrey William Mills and Margaret V. Moore. He was preceded in death by his sisters, Joanne Mills, Carol Chiesa, and brother Robert Mills.

Jim was the beloved husband of Cheryl (Lovewell) Mills for 50+ years, devoted father to his daughters Michelle Crist (Brad) and Nicole Mills, and cherished grandfather (Pepa) to William and Sydney Crist, and Brandon, Chase, and Dylan Boling. Jim is survived by many loving nieces and nephews.

Jim, first and foremost, loved his family, grandchildren, his Malteses (aka Tooty Mills!) and the infinite number of friendships that surrounded him throughout his life. Jim was known for one of his favorite sayings, “Keep the Faith.” He was a fun-loving guy who had a love for hunting, fishing, and traveling-anything that put him in the Great Outdoors!

Jim served in the United States Army 1968-70. He was employed by Gilmore’s Refrigeration and then started his own successful company of over 40+ years, Mills Refrigeration Inc., also well known as “Get your Chills from Mills.” Anyone that knew Jim knows he was a man of honesty and integrity and was very humbled to have the success he was blessed with. That success started with him getting up each and every morning with his famous saying, “It’s a Beautiful Day!”

Jim was a warm, kind, caring, humorist son, brother, husband, father, grandfather, uncle, brother-in-law, neighbor, and friend who will truly be missed by all.

Visitation will be held Monday, January 18, 2021 from 2-4 & 6-8 pm at Tiffany Funeral Home. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 am on Tuesday, January 19, 2021 at St. Gerard Catholic Church, Lansing. Interment will follow at St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery, Lansing. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to St. Gerard Catholic Church or the American Lung Association in Jim’s honor.