Joy Strickland Mills

Mrs. Joy Strickland Mills, 100, of Winston-Salem, passed peacefully to join her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Saturday, January 30, 2016.

Joy was born December 25, 1915, in Guilford County to James Monroe Strickland and Ella Evans Strickland. A devoted member of Calvary Baptist Church in Winston-Salem, she sang for many years in the Senior Adult Choir. She also volunteered at Novant Forsyth Medical Center. Before moving to Winston-Salem from Greensboro in 1992 with her husband, Charles S. Mills Jr., who predeceased her in 1994, Joy was a homemaker and a bookkeeper for the family business, Mills Collision Shop. She was active in ministries at College Park Baptist Church and Lindley Park Baptist Church, including Sunday school teacher, nursery worker and Bible school teacher, and was involved in missionary societies and visitation. All who met Joy were warmed by her smile and friendly spirit.

In addition to her parents and her husband, she was predeceased by a sister, Marie Alexander, and a brother, Harlan Strickland.

Joy is survived by her sons, Charles S. Mills III and wife Linda of North Myrtle Beach, SC, Kenneth E. Mills and wife Jess of Wenatchee, WA, and Michael B. Mills and wife Phyllis of Clemmons; grandchildren, Kevin Mills and wife Robin of Bellingham, WA, Kendall Newell and husband Nathan of Wenatchee, WA, Bryan Mills and wife Donna of High Point, and Brandon Mills and wife Shannon of Wake Forest; 12 great-grandchildren; sister, Celeste Hill of Wilmington; and nieces, Diane Swain and husband David of Wilmington, Rose Alexander of Cornelius, Sheila Alexander of Cornelius and Nancy Oakley and husband Bill of Mooresville.

A celebration of Joy's life will be held Saturday, February 6, 2016, at 1:30 p.m. at Calvary Baptist Church in Winston-Salem, with Rev. Gary Byrum officiating. The family will receive friends immediately following the service. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Calvary Baptist Church's missions ministry. Online condolences may be made to www.hayworth-miller.com.

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