Phebejean Mills, age 90, of Huron, passed away on Monday, May 17, 2021 at her home in Huron. A memorial visitation will be held from 3-4 PM on Saturday, May 22, 2021 with a time of sharing and prayer service to begin at 4 PM at Welter Funeral Home in Huron.

Phebejean Mills was born November 14, 1930 to Boyd and Mary (Knox) Snedigar. She attended Huron Schools, graduating in 1949. She married Edward Leroy Mills on December 24, 1949 at the American Lutheran Church in Huron.

She owned and operated the Huron Hobby Shop and the Wee Wash It Laundry. She served on the Welfare and Title 19 Advisory boards, SDSU Career Service Advisory Council, Easter Seal Advisory Board, and South Dakota State Horticulture Board of Directors. She was a charter member of the Huron City Improvement Committee (1990) starting the Looking Good (I Made a Difference) award in 1992. Served until 1993, then returned in 1996. She was a member of the first class of Master Gardner's Club in 1985 and started the Heartland Garden Club in 1986. She was instrumental in starting the first demos in the Horticulture Building at the State Fair, coordinating members from the State Master Gardeners, Garden Clubs, and Hort Society. She was the coordinator for the Master Gardener's "Have a Heart" (red wooden hearts) community pride project in 1989. She received the Robertson Memorial Award in Horticulture from the SD State Horticulture Society in 1994. She joined the Salvation Army Advisory Board in 1995, and she served on the mural committee since the beginning. Joining the Huron Area Arts Council in 1999, she had helped in the Christmas Tree Festival at the Centennial Center, introducing the 2-foot miniature division in 2001; retiring most organizations in 2003 and 2004 due to ill health. She worked as an E.F.N.E.P. Nutrition Program Assistance from 1969 until her retirement in December 1995.

She is survived by three daughters: Connie Jean (Charley) Goehring of West Hills, CA; Denise Kae (Mark) Heisinger of Parkston, SD; and Shawn Renee Mills of Huron; Seven grandchildren, Heather Goehring, Christopher Goehring of CA, Nicole Mills, of Huron, Erik Dudley of Rapid City, Adam Heisinger of La Grande, OR, Keith Dudley of TX, Megan Heisinger of CO; Eight great grandchildren, Tristan Mills-DeJean of Rapid, Jordan Manley of MN, Dylan Mills- Stroud of Huron, Savanna, Sierra, and Shyanne Dudley of Rapid City, Katlyn Leshuk of Rapid City, Caden Dudley of TX, & Briley Heisinger of OR; and one great-great granddaughter Malia Alice Mills of Spearfish.

She is preceded in death by her father in 1963, her mother in 1975, and her half-sister Darleen (Jones) Cooper in 1998.