Helen Joyce (Bales) Mills of Mission, Kansas passed away July 22nd, 2025 at AdventHealth Shawnee Mission, with her husband by her side.
Joyce was born November 18, 1934 to William Earl and Helen Elaine (Spurlock) Bales, in Kansas City, Missouri. While rollerskating March 10, 1954, she met David Earl Mills, and the attraction was mutual. They married July 15, 1954 at Quindaro Baptist Church and moved to Millington, Tennessee while Dave was in the Navy, settling permanently in Kansas City, Kansas in 1956.
After raising their four children, Joyce began working as a legal secretary with Schneider, Shamberg, and May, following that with typesetting for The Wyandotte West and then for The Squire, two local weekly newspapers. She retired from The Squire and was able to travel visiting her children locally and world-wide. While “retired” she edited the Old Olathe Naval Air Museum (OONAM) monthly newsletters, joined the Turner Lions and served as president, riding in the Turner Days parade as Grand Marshal, and hosting their annual garage sale for many years. She volunteered her time at the Argentine Food Kitchen and the Youth Friends organization in the Turner school district. She was a member of Turner Baptist Church, and currently attended Sunday services at The Welstone at Mission Crossing, where she and her husband resided.
She is survived by Dave, her husband of 71 years; her daughter, Sallie (Ted) Haworth of Kansas and Florida; sons Mitchell (Cathy) of Florida and Stuart (Doneen) of Georgia; and daughter-in-law Wanda of Louisiana; seven grandchildren, Lauren (Steven Dunn) and Burt (Sara) Haworth; Shane (Michele) and Ryan (Alexa) Mills; Chelsea Rierson, Jordan (Paige) and Shelbie Mills; and five great-grandchildren, Elijah, Ethan, Chloe, Harlow and Paisley Mills. She was predeceased by her son, Scott in 2017 and grandson Corey Roberts in 2016.
Services will be held 1:00 p.m., Tuesday, July 29th, at Porter Funeral Home, 8535 Monrovia, Lenexa, Kansas, 66215, with inurnment to follow at 2:30 at Leavenworth National Cemetery, 150 Muncie Road, Leavenworth, Kansas, 66048.