Marlo Mills

Marlo Mills, age 82, passed away on January 17,  2021, after a courageous battle with Covid-19. Marlo was born in Lancaster, Ohio, on July 1, 1938, to Tom and Freeda (Reef) Mills. Marlo was a 1956 graduate of Liberty Union High School, a ’62 graduate of West Virginia Wesleyan College, and received his Master’s degree in Educational Administration from Xavier University. Upon graduation from Wesleyan, Marlo began teaching at Bloom-Carroll Schools where he remained for all of his 33-year career. His love of athletics led him to coach (at one time or another) football, basketball, baseball, and softball.  He also served as an administrator for many years: athletic director, vice-principal at the high school, principal at the junior high, and principal of Bloom Elementary. He is an inaugural member of both the Liberty Union Athletic Hall of Fame and the Bloom-Carroll Hall of Fame. He is also in the West Virginia Wesleyan Athletic Hall of Fame for his contribution to the basketball team championship of 1959. He was always a committed member of any community he was a part of: lifetime member of O.E.A. and O.R.T. A.; State Athletic Directors Association; Basketball, Baseball, and Softball State Associations; President of the Fairfield County Society for Adults and Children with Disabilities; Past President of the Fairfield County Retired Teachers Association; current

Secretary/Historian of the Mid-State League.

Marlo was a devoted member of the Lithopolis United Methodist Church as well as the greater Bloom-Carroll community. There was no bigger fan of its athletic teams or graduates than Marlo. After retirement, Marlo always had a project. He had a beautifully abundant garden that he shared with any and everyone, including local food banks and restaurants free of charge. He wrote and compiled History of the Mid-State League, documenting every game, every athlete, every sport, and every honor since its inception. One of his current projects, a lifelong dream, was to create a Bloom-Carroll History Museum, documenting the history of the area and schools, and including both Lithopolis and Carroll. Marlo’s favorite things were his love of family and friends, attending local sporting events, monthly dinners with his L.U. class of ’56, monthly lunches with the B.C. class of ’68, vacationing with friends, and travel around the globe.

He was absolutely devoted to his family and his community. Marlo is survived by his loving wife of 57 years, Bonnie (Lupfer) Mills; children, Marla Morris (Dan) of Westerville, and Mike Mills (Karen) of Centerville; grandchildren, Keaton Morris (Michelle) and Abby Morris of Westerville, Madeline Mills and Spencer Mills of Centerville. He is also survived by sisters- and brothers-in-law: Dorothy Mills of Canal Winchester, Pattie and Lorne Bevis of Fayetteville, PA, Anita Lupfer of Beavercreek, Wayne Denney of Laurel, MD, and many nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents, Tom and Freeda Mills, brother, Larry Mills, parents-in-law Wilbur and Virginia Lupfer, and brothers and sisters-in-law Larry Lupfer, Sandy Denney, and Bill Lupfer.

The family would like to extend their most heartfelt gratitude to the staff at the Fairfield Medical Center, Dr. Andy Twehuee, Dr. Christian Tencza, and all the compassionate nurses of the Covid and ICU units for their tender care of Marlo during his fight with COVID.

There will be a private burial through the Frank E. Smith Funeral Home.

A Celebration of Life service will be held in memory of Marlo Mills on Sunday, August 15, 2021, at 2:00 pm at the Lithopolis United Methodist Church, 80 Market Street, Lithopolis, OH.

If you are unable to attend, but would like to attend virtually, the service can be found at this link: https://vimeo.com/565547132. Reception following the service until 4:30; all are welcome. In light of recent spikes in COVID, we are asking that everyone wear a mask.

. In lieu of flowers at any time, donations may be made in his name to the Bloom-Carroll Athletic Boosters, PO Box 467, Carroll, OH, 43112, or the Lithopolis United Methodist Church, 80 North Market Street, PO Box 42, Lithopolis, OH, 43136. Online condolences can be made at www.funeralhome.com