MILLS, Christopher R.
October 6, 1972 – September 24, 2019
Christopher Ronald Mills, 46, of Pensacola, Fla., formerly of Botetourt County, passed on from this beautiful earthly domain that he had so loved to photograph, to enter into the glorious heavenly presence of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Christopher is survived by his father, Ronald E. Mills, Pensacola, Fla.; mother, Judy D. Mills, Fincastle; brother and best friend, Richard E. Mills, Pensacola Fla.; Richard’s daughter, Kayla (Patrick) Warner and their children Patrick, Wade, Braedyn and Willow of Ohio. He was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Harold S. Mills Sr. and Katie Mills Basham and maternal grandparents, Leslie R. and E. Lucy Deel.
Christopher was born October 6, 1972 in Altus, Okla. After growing up in Baton Rouge, La. and Botetourt County, he relocated to Pensacola, Fla. Christopher graduated from Lord Botetourt High School in 1990 and after a career at Lowe’s in Pensacola, he retired to pursue his lifelong dream of studying and teaching photography. He received AA and AS degrees from Pensacola State College and his BFA in Studio Art Photography from University of West Florida in Pensacola. His plans to pursue his MFA at Radford University in Virginia were cut short by the cancer diagnosis right after graduating from UWF in 2018. During his years at PSC and UWF, he had artwork displayed in museums of art in Pensacola and New Orleans, La., photo clubs, art galleries and art festivals, winning numerous awards for his photography and digital imaging. After his diagnosis of stage 4 cancer in July 2018, he said, “I have no fear and I refuse to worry, but I will trust in my Lord through it all because Jesus is my Healer and I win however it goes. The big C– Christ– is much more powerful than the little c– cancer!”
He prayed daily for others with cancer, doctors and medical teams, and remained positive through the journey, refusing to post anything negative on social media throughout the battle. His daily prayer motto was “I’m strong in the Lord and the power of His might & I walk by faith and not by sight…or symptoms or pain or any other circumstances!” Christopher spent his childhood and youth in church and accepted Christ as his Savior and was baptized at an early age. Church camps and youth conferences were important to Christopher growing up and the family suggests that anyone wishing to make a memorial gift please consider donations to Troutville Church of the Brethren, P.O. Box 156, Troutville, 24175, earmarked for Children/Youth Ministry of Troutville/ New Bethel. A celebration of his life was held at Troutville Church of the Brethren at 11 a.m. on Saturday, November 30, 2019.
