The memorial for Bill is this Saturday, Feb 4th at 12:30 pm.
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To all in our Salem’s Riverfront Carousel Family –
It is with a saddened heart I share with you all – Bill Mills passed away Wednesday night after a week long debilitating medical concern.
And a lifetime of love and service…(March 8, 1939 – February 1, 2017)
A Memorial and Celebration of Life will be held tomorrow, Sat., Feb. 4 at 12:30pm, Keizer Church of Christ; Jim Petty and Bill Mills Jr., presiding. (5405 Ridge Dr NE Keizer OR)
The Mill Family is also hosting a Community Celebration beginning at 3:00pm here at the Carousel – honoring Bill’s love, engagement and invaluable contributions to our organization. It is my understanding Ice Cream will be offered up – as it was one of Bill’s favorite delights in Life!
The Mill’s family will be available for people to meet & greet and to offer your condolences, memories, hugs, and anecdotes to…so if you know any of the old jokes Bill loved to tell – tell them!
This Gathering will take place while we remain open to the public and setup will be along the slider doors, inside the building. From 3:00-4:00pm visiting children will be given a free ride, upon entrance at the gate, with Bill in mind.
His love of children, especially his own, and even more especially his grand-children, was the best example of the Carousel’s mission, to showcase and hold dear an everyday zest for life, ready smile, sense of humor, desire to be connected to people, and outgoing friendly nature. It’s what he, and we believe – makes the World go around!
He greeted everyone he came in contact with – with a ‘come on in, come on in’ and made them feel ‘right at home’. He also made sure they knew we keep him around because he was so good looking!
Bill gave an estimated, accumulated 4,100+ hours of his time and talent to the Carousel, over the course of 19+ years. Countless art works and projects were carved by his hands. The last of which, a scaled replica of the frog, Mr. Hopkins, will be given as a legacy keepsake to his family.
From 2011-2013 Bill served as interim lead Artist and project manager for the New Dream development endeavor, geared toward the sponsorship of 12 new full-sized figures. He personally recruited more than 40+ ‘new’ artists in preparing for those projects and mentored in the Art of Woodcarving with classes and one-on-one instruction.
Those are just the tangibles we can see and touch. Bill invested countless hours and gave of himself through outreach that occurred ‘offsite’ everywhere he went. He constantly and continually shared so much of and for us, so readily, in all his wanderings and travels. People would regularly come and make sure to mention how they had met this ‘lovely gentleman’ – who had sparked their interest and invited them down…
In 2009 the Guardian of The Light award was given to Bill and included recognition for his late wife Toni, who also served as a longtime volunteer. The award speaks to his dedicated engagement with us, as well as how inspired and grateful we are to have had the opportunity to share his giving spirit and physical presence for so many years, as part of Our Living History and continued, ongoing story.
A Bridle path tile will be inscribed and laid to rest, for generations to witness, of our never-ending appreciation, honoring Bill as a part of the Carousel Family, for years to come.
The Carousel staff and I offer our wish for Peace, Health and Goodwill, for each of you, toward each other, Bill’s family, and all those we come in contact with here. Let us all strive to keep the Dream alive, making magic happen in the hearts of children and families everywhere.
In loving memory,
Laura Tea-Pelley
Assistant Director and Volunteer Programs Manager
In prayer with the family from Hayden, Idaho. Deepest condolences.
To all in our Salem’s Riverfront Carousel Family –
It is with a saddened heart I share with you all – Bill Mills passed away Wednesday night after a week long debilitating medical concern.
And a lifetime of love and service…(March 8, 1939 – February 1, 2017)
A Memorial and Celebration of Life will be held tomorrow, Sat., Feb. 4 at 12:30pm, Keizer Church of Christ; Jim Petty and Bill Mills Jr., presiding. (5405 Ridge Dr NE Keizer OR)
The Mill Family is also hosting a Community Celebration beginning at 3:00pm here at the Carousel – honoring Bill’s love, engagement and invaluable contributions to our organization. It is my understanding Ice Cream will be offered up – as it was one of Bill’s favorite delights in Life!
The Mill’s family will be available for people to meet & greet and to offer your condolences, memories, hugs, and anecdotes to…so if you know any of the old jokes Bill loved to tell – tell them!
This Gathering will take place while we remain open to the public and setup will be along the slider doors, inside the building. From 3:00-4:00pm visiting children will be given a free ride, upon entrance at the gate, with Bill in mind.
His love of children, especially his own, and even more especially his grand-children, was the best example of the Carousel’s mission, to showcase and hold dear an everyday zest for life, ready smile, sense of humor, desire to be connected to people, and outgoing friendly nature. It’s what he, and we believe – makes the World go around!
He greeted everyone he came in contact with – with a ‘come on in, come on in’ and made them feel ‘right at home’. He also made sure they knew we keep him around because he was so good looking!
Bill gave an estimated, accumulated 4,100+ hours of his time and talent to the Carousel, over the course of 19+ years. Countless art works and projects were carved by his hands. The last of which, a scaled replica of the frog, Mr. Hopkins, will be given as a legacy keepsake to his family.
From 2011-2013 Bill served as interim lead Artist and project manager for the New Dream development endeavor, geared toward the sponsorship of 12 new full-sized figures. He personally recruited more than 40+ ‘new’ artists in preparing for those projects and mentored in the Art of Woodcarving with classes and one-on-one instruction.
Those are just the tangibles we can see and touch. Bill invested countless hours and gave of himself through outreach that occurred ‘offsite’ everywhere he went. He constantly and continually shared so much of and for us, so readily, in all his wanderings and travels. People would regularly come and make sure to mention how they had met this ‘lovely gentleman’ – who had sparked their interest and invited them down…
In 2009 the Guardian of The Light award was given to Bill and included recognition for his late wife Toni, who also served as a longtime volunteer. The award speaks to his dedicated engagement with us, as well as how inspired and grateful we are to have had the opportunity to share his giving spirit and physical presence for so many years, as part of Our Living History and continued, ongoing story.
A Bridle path tile will be inscribed and laid to rest, for generations to witness, of our never-ending appreciation, honoring Bill as a part of the Carousel Family, for years to come.
The Carousel staff and I offer our wish for Peace, Health and Goodwill, for each of you, toward each other, Bill’s family, and all those we come in contact with here. Let us all strive to keep the Dream alive, making magic happen in the hearts of children and families everywhere.
In loving memory,
Laura Tea-Pelley
Assistant Director and Volunteer Programs Manager
In prayer with the family from Hayden, Idaho. Deepest condolences.