Earl Gene Mills

Earl grew up in Marion and the Baptist Children’s Home in Thomasville and graduated from Thomasville High School in 1959. Earl served in the North Carolina Army National Guard from 1960 to 1966. Earl worked at Gilbarco in Greensboro for 36 years until his retirement in 2002. He was a proud member of the Teamsters Local 391 and was a shop steward for many years.

Though his driver’s license said his name was Earl, he was just as well known as “Squeaky”, “Uncle Squeaky”, and “Grampa Squeak”. Squeaky was a mechanic on a drag racing team, traveling throughout the Southeastern United States in the 1960s and 1970s. His love for all things automotive was evident in his meticulous maintenance of his Chevrolets and his encyclopedic knowledge of NASCAR. Squeaky also enjoyed ocean fishing and camping with his family and friends. He was a long-time member of Immanuel Baptist Church of Greensboro and was a well-known (and possibly famous) chaperone on church youth trips.

Earl is survived by his loving wife of 55 years, Betty Sprinkle Mills of Greensboro; his daughter, Christy Mills Steltz and husband Daniel of Raleigh; his brothers, Johnny Mills and wife Dee of Independence, VA, Teddy Mills and wife Pat of Columbia, SC; many nieces and nephews; and his grandsons, Daniel and Christopher Steltz.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday July 29, 2022, at the Hanes-Lineberry Funeral Home Sedgefield Chapel. Services will be conducted by Earl’s nephew, the Reverend Dr. John P. Chandler and the Reverend Dr. Jack Benzenhafer, Pastor of Immanuel Baptist Church. Interment will follow in Guilford Memorial Park. The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Friday from 10:00 a.m. until service time.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Earl’s memory to Immanuel Baptist Church 2432 West Gate City Blvd. Greensboro, NC 27403