John Warren Mills, age 78 of Columbus, Ks. passed away 8:05 p.m. Wednesday (Oct. 20, 2004) after an illness.

John was born August 5, 1926 at Springfield, Mo. the son of Ralph Walker and Maude Cindy (Simmons) Mills. John attended school in the Springfield area and came to the Columbus, Ks. area in 1975 from Chetopa, Ks. area.

John married Carmeta Woodard on March 24, 1967 in Joplin, Missouri. She survives of the home.

He was self-employed. As a youth John rode a dairy truck, delivering milk door-to-door. At age 17, he worked for Wells Fargo as a guard on the train from Kansas City to Memphis. He worked for National Cash Register (NCR) as a young man, then went to selling and servicing sewing machines across the Midwest and the South. John later sold refrigeration equipment, including ice cream machines, for many years. He invented and patented the Gyro-Vortex, a carburator for soft-serve ice cream and yogurt machines.

John enjoyed solving crossword puzzles and was a Civil War buff. A talker and a jokester, he never knew a stranger. He made many a friend over a cup of coffee.

He was a member of the First Christian Church of Columbus, Kansas.

Survivors include his wife of the home, one daughter Carey Federspiel and son-in-law Fred Federspiel of Larchmont, NY; two grandchildren Erin and Harry Federspiel of Larchmont, NY; one sister Bette Wallis of Reno, Nevada; two sons John Everett Mills and Mark Warren Mills.

He is preceded in death by his parents and his older brother, Ralph.

As to Mr. Mills' wishes, his body has been taken for cremation. Memorial Services will be 11 a.m. Wednesday (October 27, 2004) at the Simpson Funeral Home in Columbus, Kansas. With the Rev. Joe Gentzler officiating. Inurnment Êof the cremains will be 1:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Oswego Cemetery, Oswego, Kansas. Family will receive friends from 10:30 a.m. till service time at the Simpson Fuenral Home Columbus, Ks. A memorial has been estabished to the First Christian Church of Columbus, Kansas and may be left with the Simpson Funeral Home 323 S. Kansas Ave. Columbus, Kansas.