Lynne Sherri Mills

Lynne Sherri Mills was born in 1945, in Brooklyn, New York. She grew up surrounded by a large, loud Jewish family. She treasured close relationships with her sister and cousins. As a child, she discovered her true love: summer camp. She spent years at Cejwin Camps as both a camper and a staff member and sent her daughters to summer camp, as well. She maintained lifelong friendships with people she met through camp and collected camp memorabilia.

Mom moved to Queens, NY and graduated from Hofstra University. Despite “disliking children”, she spent her career working with them. She was a teacher, a tutor, and a social worker. She opened her home to any child in need and “adopted” multiple friends of her daughters.

While she was still a young woman, she traveled the world and the Borscht Belt, leaving a trail of broken hearts in her wake. Eventually she ended up in Florida where she married, had two daughters, and divorced. In the early 90s, she moved to the Catskills. There, she spent many years working for Child Protective Services and making empty threats to her teen daughters.

Mom first retired to Florida and then NW Georgia, where she fulfilled her lifelong dream of owning horses, nursed her daughter through cancer, and generally drove her neighbors and friends nuts. She absolutely relished her outsider status as a Jewish New Yorker living in the Deep South, and enjoyed befriending Southerners at yard sales and auctions. She developed an affinity for fried food and sweet tea and made her dentist rich. She spent her last years doing what she loved best: caring for her pets, aggravating people, and killing fire ants on her farm.

Mom was diagnosed with Stage 4 breast cancer in 2017 and suffered a life-altering accident in 2020. Despite her daughters’ arguing with her that she would outlive us all, she had the last word, passing away unexpectedly in early January 2022.

Mom was a complicated woman, equally infuriating and delightful. She saw the world through her own unique lens and always did things her own way, often to the annoyance of her daughters. Her argumentative nature and stubbornness were legendary. Bucking authority and sticking it to the man were two of her greatest joys. She refused to conform or compromise. She loved to laugh.

She was a fascinating woman who loved elderberry jam, doo-wop music, Eastenders, discounts, Tom Selleck, and anything covered in sequins. She hated Donald Trump, Alexa, the color chartreuse, doctors, tattoos, and fire ants. She could be kind and generous, rude and cheap. She was the world’s worst gift giver. If she ever offered to take you out to eat, she made you order off of the value meal.

Mom instilled in her children a love of books, music, old movies, Broadway shows, and British TV. She raised her children to be compassionate to animals and people in need. She taught us to root for the underdog and treasure friends and family. She was fiercely private, fiercely stubborn, and she was ours.

Mom was preceded in death by her parents and beloved sister, Roberta Lerman. She is survived by her daughters Jenny Mills and Katy Davis; son-in-law Todd Davis; grandchildren Luka and Sloane Davis; her nieces, nephew, cousins, friends, cats, dogs, horse, pony, and Tom Selleck.

A private memorial will take place in Florida, against her wishes, where she will be laid to rest near her parents and sister.

A friend to many, an enigma to all, she will be greatly missed. In lieu of flowers, please send a donation to the animal rescue charity of your choice.

May her memory be a blessing.