Juanita "Juanie" Ennis Mills

Agnes Juanita Ennis Mills (Juanie), of Belhaven, NC went home to be with her Lord and Savior on Saturday, November 9, 2024 after battling a grade 4 glioblastoma brain tumor for nearly a year. She peacefully passed surrounded by family at her daughter’s home.

Juanie was born January 23, 1947 in Goldsboro, NC to Agnes and Rufus Ennis. She and her family lived in Mount Olive until 1957 when they moved to Fayetteville, NC for a year. From there they moved to Raleigh, NC where she attended Mount Vernon Goodwin Elementary School, which is where she and Bobby met for the first time at the water fountain. From there she attended Cary High School and shined as Head Cheerleader and was named Homecoming Queen before graduating in 1965. After graduation she attended Lees-McRae College for a semester before returning home to obtain her Secretarial Certification from Hardbarger Business School in Raleigh in 1966. She married the love of her life, Bobby (Bob) Mills, on June 10, 1967 and they started their young married life in Raleigh. Juanie worked for two Raleigh law offices as a legal secretary, first being Allen, Steed & Pullen Attorneys at Law and later Bailey, Dixon, Wooten, Fountain & McDonald Attorneys at Law. In 1970 she welcomed her first child and for the next 18 years dedicated herself to her 3 children and family as a stay-at-home mom.

She and Bob lived most of their married life in the Raleigh & Garner areas, except for 6 years when they moved to The Woodlands, TX from 1981-1986. They returned to Garner in late 1986 and made it their home for the next 30 years. In 1988 Juanie started working part time for EH Bridger Attorney as a legal secretary helping him with his Estate Planning business and did so for nearly 20 years. In her free time Juanie was quite the athlete and enjoyed playing softball, tennis, golf and loved to fish. She also enjoyed gardening, going to the beach and going to all the activities her children and grandchildren were a part of to cheer them on. She was always very active in her church as well whether singing in the choir, helping with vacation Bible school or assisting with multiple committees. She and Bob were members of Aversboro Road Baptist Church in Garner for nearly 30 years and then Belhaven Missionary Baptist Church in Belhaven, NC the past 5 years. Her faith was an integral part of who she was and what she wanted to pass on to her family. Acts of service was her love language and she did it well whether at work, home or in her free time.

As a teenager her parents bought a home in Belhaven, NC in the Pungo Shores community and she spent many wonderful days there fishing and skiing with family and friends. In 1998 Juanie and Bob bought their own home in the same community and moved there permanently in 2019. The river is a special place to them not only for the great fishing and beautiful sunsets, but for all the wonderful memories made there with family and friends throughout the years.

Juanie was preceded in death by her parents, Rufus and Agnes Ennis of Belhaven, in-laws, Robert and Louise Mills of Raleigh, her sister-in-law, Becky Fowler of Charlotte and brother-in-law, Bill Fowler of Charlotte. She is survived by her husband of over 57 years, Robert Lee Mills, Jr (Bob), daughters, Angie Mills Betts (Stacy) of Raleigh and Meredith Mills Stewart (Paul) of Garner and son, Danny Mills (Melissa) of Wake Forest. Grandchildren in age order, Morgan Betts, Landon Betts, Reagan Stewart, Raleigh Stewart, Robby Mills, Joshua Stewart, Hunter Mills and Sadie Stewart. Sister, Pat Gurley of Princeton and her nieces, Kelly Fowler Lamb (David), Amy Fowler Johnson (Scott) and Jennifer Johnson Yost (Rick), and nephew Jeff Johnson (Mary). Juanie adored and loved her family and was so very proud of all of them, especially her 8 grandchildren who she beamed with pride over and loved deeply.

As a family we would like to thank the Duke Cancer Center Brain Tumor Clinic, Wake Med Raleigh Neurosurgery, Wake Med Raleigh Rehab, BellaRose Nursing and Rehab Center in Garner and Heartland Hospice for the care they gave Juanie over this past year. We especially want to recognize and thank Compassionate Guardians, LLC for the love, comfort and exceptional care they gave Juanie her last 4 months while at home. Elishibah Nyoike, Lilian Wawereu, Elizabeth Ngaari and Eliza Gitonga were our earth angels and we are forever grateful for their service and the love and respect they showed her during this time.

The celebration of life for Juanie will be held on November 17, 2024 at 1:30 PM at Aversboro Road Baptist Church in Garner with a visitation/reception immediately following in the Fellowship Hall. In lieu of flowers you are welcome to give to any of the following in her memory – Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center at Duke, Belhaven Missionary Baptist Church in Belhaven, NC or Breakthrough T1D (formerly known as JDRF International).

Juanie was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and friend and will be greatly missed by her family and all who had the privilege to know and love her. Her beauty was undeniable, inside and out, and her legacy of love, faith and family will live on in the family she leaves behind and for generations to come.