Betty Laurel Mills

Betty Laurel (Rouse) Lewis Mills passed away quietly at her home on Sunday, 13 Feb. 2022, at the age of 101 years, 2 months, and 13 days. She was preceded in death be her parent, John Hayle Rouse, and Laura Jessie Mary (Simpson) Rouse, husbands Carroll Morris Lewis and Carl Kenneth Mills, and son James Carroll Lewis. She is survived by her sons David William Lewis, Donald Edward Lewis, Carroll Martin Lewis, and Kenneth Russell Lewis, 5 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren.

She was born in San Francisco on 01 December 1920, to John and Laura Rouse. The family moved to Los Angeles where she graduated from Fairfax High School in 1938. She met Carroll Lewis while working playgrounds for Los Angeles City Schools. They were married on 30 Aug. 1940, in Las Vegas, Nevada. She and Carroll had 5 boys. Carroll Lewis passed away in 1958.

Betty worked back to college and got a teaching credential in 1961. She met and married Carl Mills on 24 March 1961. She taught kindergarten for 20 years. She said "that was the only age where the children were shorter than she was". Betty and Carl were avid square dances and world travelers. She retired from teaching in 1982 when they moved full time to Spring Valley Lake in Victorville, Ca. Carl passed away in 2000. Betty was an accomplished genealogist. She frequently served as a poll worker and was active in serval local organizations including Native Daughters of the Golden West, High Desert Genealogical Society, Republican Women, Red Hat Society, Delta Kappa Gamma Sorority, and California Retired Teachers Association. Where she served several terms as President of the local chapter. She tap danced into her 90's with the Happy Tappers. She was an active member of Jess Ranch Community Church.