Gary Jon "Bud" Mills passed away Saturday, December 16, 2023 surrounded by his family.
Bud was born June 5, 1936 to Emmett V. and Edna L. Mills in Clay Center, Nebraska. His family moved to Alliance, Nebraska in 1941, where he continued his schooling until he graduated from Alliance High School in 1954.
Bud enlisted in the United States Army right out of high school. He served two years, including a deployment to Germany. He then went to work for the Burlington Route Railroad, retiring from BNSF in 1996. Upon returning home from Germany, Gary married the love of his life, Clarice Marlene Ritter. From this marriage came three boys: Tim (Linda), Scott (Tamra) and Jeff (Brenda). Bud spent his boy’s childhood years as an incredibly involved father, often coaching multiple sports at the same time and attending every sporting event and activity possible. He rarely missed a game, match, meet, birthday party, or holiday, and later in life, even achieved special Alliance High School Booster of the Year acknowledgements. A bragging right was having his own bench spot in the AHS gymnasium, where some of his happiest moments were spent with a Diet Pepsi and bag of popcorn in hand. If we listen closely, we can still hear him cheering on AHS, offering loud ‘suggestions for improvement’ during our games, and maybe even questioning a call or two made by the refs when it was warranted. In the early years of Bud and Clarice’s family life, Bud loved to play sports - racquetball, basketball, tennis, volleyball, you name it – he would challenge you to a game… (and maybe even a fist fight) if you talked back.
An avid outdoors and animal lover, Bud loved to camp and fish along with spending many post-retirement years showing special care for stray and neglected animals, feeding his birds, and giving extra attention and love to his kid’s and grandkid’s pets. Without a doubt, there is a special place in Heaven for him based solely on the compassion he showed to a helpless or suffering animal.
Bud was blessed with many grandchildren: Jamie (Matt) Weingart, Jessica Cooksley, Myles Mills, Gary Mills, Jacob (Arielle) Mills, Brettni (Tristan) Heldenbrand, Cassidy (Preston) Meier, Jordan (Sam) Mills, Shelbi Mills, and 13 great-grandchildren. He was a doting grandfather, taking all of his grandchildren on special trips, treating them to lunch or dinner out, and having nicknames for every one of them. He truly believed that each of his grandchildren and great[1]grandchildren were special, and his eyes lit up when one of them would walk through the front door to visit. Our entire family was fortunate to experience a love in which we would always have someone rooting for and defending us, seeing the best in us, and even offering up a passionate discussion or a hint of loving discipline when necessary. There was nothing more important than family in Bud’s eyes, and one of his proudest accomplishments in life was raising three men who knew the importance of family and being there for one another – a priceless gift he shared with everyone he knew and loved.
Bud will be lovingly remembered by his wife of 62 years, Clarice, his three boys: Tim (Linda), Scott (Tamra), and Jeff (Brenda), his 9 grandchildren, 13 great-grand children and his sister Cheri Lampert.
There will be a service in Bud's honor on Tuesday, December 26th at 10:00 AM at Bates-Gould Chapel, followed by a meal at the West Side Events Center. Friends and family are invited to come share stories and spend time with the family to celebrate Bud's fulfilling and long life, legacy and memory.