Lowell Price “Tommy” Mills passed away peacefully at his home in Greenville, Mississippi on December 12, 2024 at the age of 92. Tommy was born at home to Elsie Raney Mills and Frank Kenneth Mills in Richmond, Indiana on October 12, 1932. He was the youngest and last surviving of their eight children.
Working through much of his youth in greenhouse construction and driving trucks, he ultimately graduated from Richmond High School on June 9, 1950. Then as the Korean War ensued later that month, he joined the United States Air Force where he initially trained to fly the USAF Series F-84-F-1 aircraft, keeping forever his Flight Handbook as a cherished possession. His first two training assignments were in San Antonio and San Angelo, Texas. It was, however, as a member of the Class 54-G at the Greenville Air Force Base beginning in October 1953 that Tommy’s life took its sharpest turn.
In February of 1954, the young pilot found 17-year-old Elizabeth Ann Thomas, a stunning daughter of Lebanese immigrant parents, socializing with her high school friends on the Mississippi River levee. They fell in love at first sight and “Liz” never let him return home, even though he was at the time engaged to a childhood friend named “Georgia” back in Richmond. (Tommy’s mother and sister made a special trip to Greenville to try to retrieve him.) Wary of what her dry goods and real estate mogul father would think, Liz sneakily explained to her parents that the 21 year old Air Force Cadet Mills – controversially not of Lebanese descent – was a “tutor” from the high school. Eventually the young plain clothes tutor with spit shine shoes and an adopted southern accent won over Mr. Thomas, the guise was unveiled and Liz and Tommy became engaged. They were married by Rev. Harold Martin on August 1, 1954 at St. James Episcopal Church in Greenville. They were later stationed in Great Falls, Montana, Del Rio and Lubbock, Texas and Glendale, Arizona before the First Lieutenant received an Honorable Discharge from the Air Force on September 23, 1956 and returned home in October with two baby daughters Pam and Suzie in tow. He earned a Commercial Pilot License for a Single Engine Plane three weeks later.
As there was no other choice available with the proprietorial Thomas family, the young couple settled in Greenville. Their son William joined the family in 1962. Having had drafting classes in high school and three months of correspondence courses, Tommy worked for Harold Kaplan, Architect and Hall & Burle Architects & Engineers (via a GI work bill) as a draftsman for sixteen years before he obtained his Architects license in Louisiana in 1963, Arkansas in 1967 and Mississippi in 1972. He founded Lowell P. Mills Architect in 1973 and later was joined by William in 1991 when the name was changed to Mills and Mills Architects, PC. The firm later opened offices in New Albany, Tupelo and Oxford. Tommy established himself as one of Mississippi’s finest architects while also assisting Liz in opening the Cotton Patch women’s clothing store in 1969 which stood for 26 years as a Delta icon. He and his great friend Eli Shapley also enjoyed success with an apartment venture along the way.
Tommy served as president of the Greenville Lions Club and enjoyed, with Liz and children alongside, attending many, many annual international conventions. He was a 32nd Degree Mason (the highest honor) and also was very involved with the American Red Cross and the Arms of Mercy. He served many years as an Advisory Board Member at Planters Bank where he was a proud stockholder and customer. The couple enjoyed membership in the Highland Club, the Lebanese-American Club, Delta Diners Dinner Club and the Coterie Club, and were life-long members of St. James Episcopal Church where Tommy served on the vestry and as a lay reader. They especially loved week ends spent at the family lake house on Lake Ferguson. After her brother and brother-in-law and all of his children matriculated to Ole Miss, he and Liz became ardent followers of the football Rebels; however, their preference was to listen to the game in the Grove, mostly concerning themselves only with the final out come and its effect on the family’s spirits.
Tommy Mills was a self-made man, unpretentious, kind, giving, gracious and humble and always carried a pleasant smile. He was a quiet listener, and that meshed well with the force of nature that was Liz. He enjoyed having all of their children and grandchildren to their home (summoned by Liz or “Noni”, her name to all of them) every Christmas where everyone was showered with countless gifts literally piled to the ceiling, and with a special envelope amidst the fray. Attendance at the annual St. James Christmas Eve service was required. Likewise every summer since 1980, the Mills clan convened at their other home – their “slice of heaven” – at Jetty East in Destin, Florida.
After Liz’s passing in 2012 after 58 years of marriage, Tommy continued to work before retiring in 2020. In his last decade of life he enjoyed the company of another remarkable woman Anita Bologna, whose love and care for their Popi the family will be forever grateful. She brightened his every day. The family will hold in their hearts forever an indelible imprint on their lives by Popi, who so loved every one of them.
Tommy Mills was predeceased by his parents, his seven siblings, his wife Elizabeth Thomas Mills, his brother-in-law George H. Slade, Sr. and his sister-in-law Shirley Coury Thomas. He is survived by daughter Pamela Ava Mills Turner (Jon) of Jackson, daughter Suzanne Elizabeth Mills Adcock (Jeff) of Jackson and son William Thomas Mills (Donna) of Oxford and five grandchildren Raney-Mills Turner (Nick Conner) of New Orleans, David Thomas Adcock (Anna) of Jackson, Mark Newman Adcock (Allison) of Portland, Oregon, Mary-Crosby Roberts (Walker) of Jackson and William Thomas Mills, Jr. (Laurel) of Alexandria, Virginia and eight great-grandchildren Milo Crosby Kiely, Jac Eliza Kiely, Clyde Turner Kiely, Ava Price Roberts, Walker Palmer Roberts, Jr., Lois Turner Roberts, Mills Robert Adcock, Thomas Ward Adcock and a new Baby Girl Mills in a couple of weeks. He is also survived by brother-in-law William Thomas, Jr. of Germantown, Tennessee, sister-in-law Betty Jean Thomas Slade of Madison and a beloved extended family of cousins, nieces and nephews.
A graveside service will be held Monday, December 16 at 10:00 a.m. in Greenville Cemetery at 1000 South Main Street. (If raining, the service will be in the church sanctuary.) The Rev. Brandt Dick will officiate. Immediately following will be a gathering celebrating Tommy’s life at the home of Anita Bologna at 212 Crittenden Street. Boone Funeral Home is handling arrangements.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Arms of Mercy, Inc. PO Box 4691, Greenville MS 38704.