James Mickey Mills

James Mickey Mills, 69, passed away on March 22, 2023, at home in Newnan, Georgia. He was born at Newnan Hospital on January 1, 1954, to the late Oscar and Gladys Mills.  

Mickey was a lifelong mechanic and truck driver. He operated his own mechanic shop for 20 years. There wasn’t much that he couldn’t fix & both family & friends would often call on him for his expertise. Mickey was an avid race fan & passed his love for that along to his family. And while he loved all things racing, his passion was drag racing. He loved attending car shows, camping & boating with his family. He met his wife, Shirley Smith Mills, in 1971 at Newnan’s drive-in movie theater and they would go on to have 4 children and 14 grandchildren. With such a large family, he was everyone’s “uncle” or “pawpaw”. 

Mickey was preceded in death by his loving wife of 44 years, Shirley Smith Mills; grandsons, Alexander & Benjamin Mills; parents, Oscar & Gladys Mills; brothers, Jimmy Mills, Kenneth Mills & Jerry Mills; sisters, Carol Willingham & Nancy Mills; sister-in-law, Frances Mills; brothers-in-laws, Gene Willingham & Sonny Lewis; nephews, Wayne Willingham, Jody Lewis and Andy Mills. 

Survivors include his sister, Sandra Lewis; son, Michael Mills(Liz); daughters, Nancy Hickey (Andy), Jacquie Arrington (Joey) & Candace Smallwood (Joseph); grandchildren, Rebecca & Ashley Hickey, Justin & Starr Mills, Hailey Steiper (Brandon), Amber, Thomas & Rachel Linch, Katrina Mills and Shelby, Shyann & Izabella Smallwood; great granddaughter, Brooklyn Hartfree; and many nieces, nephews & cousins.

Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, March 24, 2023, at Hillcrest Chapel with Jackie Bruce officiating. Interment will follow in Oak Hill Cemetery. The family will receive friends 1 hour prior to the service on Friday at the funeral home.

Higgins Funeral Home Hillcrest Chapel is honored to serve the family of James Mickey Mills, please visit www.hillcrestchapelcares.com to share your memories or leave a condolence message.

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