Retired U.S. Army Maj. Edward “Eddie” Mills, 47, passed away Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2018.
He is survived by his wife of 20 years, Dawn Mills; and their four children, Kennedy, Brailen, Avery and Layne Mills; mother, Odella Carpenter; and sister, Kelly Keen.
Eddie was born March 1, 1971, and grew up in North Charleston, South Carolina. After high school, Eddie attended and graduated from Francis Marion University in South Carolina. Following college, Eddie joined the U.S. Army and served six years enlisted as a Russian and Serbian/Croatian Linguist. Eddie was commissioned as an infantry officer in 1999 and served the remainder of his career in the Infantry Corps. During his 21 years of service, Eddie deployed to Hungary, Kosovo, Afghanistan, Iraq and Saudi Arabia.
His awards include the Afghanistan Campaign Medal (2 Stars), Bronze Star (2nd award), Meritorious Service Medal (3rd Award), Army Commendation Medal (7th Award), Kosovo Campaign Medal with Bronze Service Star and several others unit and achievement awards. Eddie earned his Combat Infantryman, Air Assault, Airborne, Pathfinder, and Ranger tabs while serving his country. He was selected for a nominative assignment, where he received his master’s degree in Policy Management from Georgetown University and worked in the office of the Deputy Secretary of Defense. He retired in 2016. Eddie was a great leader and had a passion for helping his soldiers.
Eddie loved watching football and cheered on the University of South Carolina Gamecocks. He could talk sports statistics all day. Eddie enjoyed all kinds of music and making people laugh. He loved his family and will be missed by those who got to know him.
We will be remembering Eddie Mills at 3 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 18, at Williamsburg Community Chapel in Williamsburg. Eddie will be laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery in 2019.
In lieu of flowers, please donate to TAPS, Disabled American Veterans or Veterans of Foreign Wars in his honor.
