Obituary of Stephen Gooden Mills

After a challenging and courageous battle with Parkinson’s Disease, Stephen Gooden Mills went to be with his Lord and Savior on Apr 23, 2023. Steve was born on August 31, 1948 in Nashville, TN. The son of William Simon Mills III, a US Naval Commander, and Lorraine Rose (Gooden) Mills, he and his siblings Bill, John, and Lorri lived in many cities growing up: Norfolk, New Orleans, Omaha and Long Beach, to name a few. They permanently settled in Edmonds, WA in 1963. He met his high school sweetheart, Joanne, whom he would later marry on June 14, 1969.

Steve graduated from the University of Washington with a Bachelor of Arts Degree. After a short stint with Nordstrom, Dole Foods, and Lynnwood Yamaha, he joined the Telecommunications industry with Ma Bell and ultimately worked for 23 years with Pacific Northwest Bell, US West, and Qwest before retiring as a senior account executive. Steve fully retired in 2007 after selling real estate in Cle Elum, WA.

Steve loved adventures with motorcycles, snowmobiles, and RVs. He had a soft spot for animals and brought many dogs, cats, and birds to the family. He was a devoted husband, father, and papa. He will be terribly missed.

Steve leaves behind his wife of nearly 54 years, Joanne and his three children Stephanie, Maret, and Christopher, and four grandchildren Maya, Joshua, Anna, and Hannah.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his name to the Northwest Parkinson’s Foundation or Providence Hospice of Seattle.

A memorial service will be held on Friday May 12th at 3 PM at Taylor Creek Church in Maple Valley, WA.