Donna Mills

Broken Bow, NE – Donna Mills age 78 of Broken Bow formerly of the Westerville community passed away May 9, 2017 at the Broken Bow Care & Rehabilitation Center in Broken Bow.   Funeral services will be held on Monday May 15, 2017 at 11:00 AM at the United Methodist Church in Broken Bow with Pastor Todd Karges officiating.  Graveside services will be held at 2:00 PM on Monday afternoon at the Westerville Cemetery at Westerville, NE.  Visitation will be held on Sunday May 14, 2017 1:00 PM to 6:00 PM at Govier Brothers Mortuary with the family greeting friends 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM.  Memorials are suggested to the Prairie Pioneer Center in Broken Bow.   Donna Delores Mills was born on April 26, 1939 at Broken Bow to Harold and Esther Pearl (Baker) Cole.    She attended grade school in Westerville, NE through the 3rd grade, when the family moved to Ansley, NE.  She then graduated from Ansley High School in 1957.  Donna attended Kearney State College and received a teaching certificate.  She taught at Westerville and later taught in rural Cheyenne County for 3 years.   On May 22, 1960 Donna was married to Paul M. Mills in Westerville, NE.  They made their home in Westerville for 3 years then moved to Sidney, NE, and then to Merna, NE.  In 1970 they made their home at the Mills family farm in rural Westerville, where they resided until 2013 when they retired and moved to Broken Bow.   Donna loved music and was an accomplished piano and organ player.  She played for the Westerville church for over 40 years, numerous weddings and funerals.  She also enjoyed cooking. Baking was Donnas’ specialty.  Her baked goods and candy always brought top dollar at the Westerville United Methodist Church “Lords Acre Sale.” Donna loved her grandchildren and always attended all of the sporting events, music concerts, and plays. On October 19, 2015 Donna welcomed her first and only great grandchild, Kaden Murer.  His visits to the care home later in life brightened her day.   Donna is survived by her husband of 57 years Paul Mills of Broken Bow, a daughter, Julie (Tim) Brewster of Kearney, NE, two sons, Dan (Michelle) Mills of Ansley and Mark (fiancé Dawn Johnson) Mills of Axtell, NE, 3 grandchildren; Cole Mills of Ansley, NE, Lucas Mills of Kearney, and Hannah Hungerford of Kearney,  and 1 great grandchild, Kaden Murer, plus numerous nieces and nephews.    Donna was preceded in death by her parents, and a brother, Robert Cole.