LAWRENCE L. MILLS, age 80, of Portage, passed away Saturday, February 9, 2013 at Rush University Hospital in Chicago, while surrounded by his loving family. He was born on July 23, 1932 in Indian Creek Township, IL. He was a veteran of the US Army and a member of the American Legion Post #502. He retired from US Steel as a blast furnace operator. Lawrence was a longtime area resident and a devout member of Portage Grace Church of the Nazarene. He will be dearly missed.

He is survived by his wife of almost 60 years, Carolyn; 2 sons, Lawrence (Melissa) Mills of Portage and Timothy (Donna) Mills of OK; 5 daughters, Wanda Mayernick of Michigan City, Lavona (Tom) Colbert of Valparaiso, Lanora (Danny) Wilkerson of TN, Rebecca (Thomas) Kuhn of DeMotte, and Sandra (Dennis) Cook of Portage; 28 grandchildren and several great grandchildren; 3 siblings, Emma Grace Edmonds, Ivan Mills, and Mary Alice (Norman) Vanzant, all of IL.

He was preceded in death by his grandson, Daniel, his mother, Freida Earhart, stepfather, Lawrence "Pop" Earhart; father, Glen Mills.

A funeral service for Lawrence will be Thursday, February 14, 2013 at 10:00 a.m. at Rees Funeral Home, Olson Chapel, 5341 Central Ave., Portage. Burial will follow at Evergreen Memorial Park. Visitation will be Wednesday, February 13, 2013 from 2-4& 6-8 p.m. at Rees Funeral Home, Olson Chapel, (219) 762-3013 or online at www.reesfuneralhomes.com.