Jeannie L Mills

November 20, 1964 - July 3, 2020

Mills, Jeannie L. (nee) Surh age 55 a longtime resident of Oradell and formerly of Ridgefield, NJ passed away peacefully on Friday, July 3, 2020 among her loving family. Beloved wife of Joseph Mills. Devoted mother of Julia, Emily, and Rachel. Jeannie was predeceased by her son, Joseph, Jr in 2003. Loving daughter of Mary John and the late Yong Ho Surh. Dear sister of Helen Herssens and husband Patrick Herssens. Loving daughter in law of Joseph A. and the late Mary Ann Mills and sister in law to Carolyn and Matthew Prendergast, Stephen and Noreen Mills, and Peter Mills. Devoted Aunt to Alec and Jacqueline Herssens, Katherine and Stephen Prendergast, Stephen, Claire, Joshua and Isobel Mills. Jeannie was a true force of nature. Gorgeous with a big, infectious, and entertaining personality. Very hard working and driven in pursuit the very detailed vision she had for her life. She excelled at almost everything she tried including academics, sports/cheer leading growing up, and banking, teaching and banking again as an adult. (Btw, do you know how impressive it was for her to come from outside teaching to become qualified for High School Math?) Her greatest work, however, was being a wife, mother, and homemaker, taking care of literally everything for her family, whom she loved with every fiber of her being. She had an amazing touch. Practical with a capital P and strong with a capital S, she persevered though the debilitating pain of pancreas cancer to put everything in order for her family. Room decorating, recipes, account info, passwords, she made sure everything was buttoned up. She allowed herself very little down time, and seeing her up and going about her business permitted us to lead relatively normal lives under what would have been a very depressing backdrop. It was a great gift to us. She gave everything she had to her family and friends, colleagues, customers, and students. Now she can finally rest, reunited with her love, Joseph Jr. Family and friends are invited to visit Wednesday 2-4 & 7-9 at the Volk Leber Funeral Home, 268 Kinderkamack Rd., Oradell. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Thursday 10AM at St. Josephs RC Church, Oradell. Interment to follow at George Washington Memorial Park, Paramus. In lieu of flowers donations in her name to Make a Wish Foundation of New Jersey, 1384 Perrineville Rd, Monroe Township, NJ 08831 www.nj.wish.org, or SUDC Foundation (Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood) 101 Eisenhower Parkway, Suite 300, Roseland NJ 07068 (https://sudc.org/donate) are appreciated.