Civic Volunteer Edna Mills Dies

Civic volunteer Edna Mills, known for her work with the county fair and more recently the Ventura Pier rebuilding effort, died Wednesday after a 10-month battle with Lou Gehrig’s disease. She was 63.

Mills leaves a legacy of more than 30 years of volunteer work, from supervising the home arts exhibitions at the Ventura County Fair to helping update the city’s charter.

“She was just a very quiet woman who got a lot done,” family friend Judy Cunningham said.

Mills and her husband, Don, worked with the Pier Into the Future Foundation, which has raised nearly $800,000 for maintenance of the newly renovated Ventura Pier.

Edna Mills’ death came just days after the dedication ceremony for the pier’s octagonal terminus, which was designed by Don Mills. The terminus was named “Mills’ End,” in the couple’s honor.

Mills swiftly declined to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, which affects the nervous and muscular system, resulting in muscle weakness and paralysis. Both her father and uncle had the disease.

Still, she was determined not to let the illness slow her down from her volunteer efforts. With the help of her husband and friends she attended meetings and even watched the April 1 pier rededication ceremony from the back seat of the family car. The crowd of about 2,500 parted so Mills could watch as Mayor Sandy Smith dedicated Mills’ End.

Teri Raley, a publicist for the Ventura County Fair, said hundreds of fair volunteers will remember Mills for her three decades of involvement.

“She was an incredibly organized, efficient lady,” Raley said. “Under her stewardship we had one of the largest and most respected home arts departments in the state.”

In 1987, Mills was removed from her post as part of an effort to revamp the fair’s image, which drew sharp criticism from the public. A petition was circulated to have Mills reinstated and have the fair’s general manager ousted.

That effort failed, and Mills turned her energy elsewhere. She served as a volunteer with the Community Memorial Hospital Auxiliary, the Midtown Community Council and the city’s Parks and Recreation Commission. In December, she was selected as Citizen of the Year by the Ventura Chamber of Commerce.