Ivan Dale Mills

Mills, Ivan Dale, a long-time Anaheim custom drapery designer and World War II combat veteran, died Wednesday, Sept. 21. He was 92.

Mr. Mills was the owner of Ivan D. Mills Business Interiors and Snooty Draperies in Anaheim, which specializes in the design of draperies, window treatments and imaginative wood finishes.

Mr. Mills was born Sept. 1, 1919, in Stanford, Nebraska. He attended Oconto High School and Ray School of Commercial Arts in Chicago and Woodbury College in Los Angeles.

Drafted into the Army in 1942, Mr. Mills served in the G2 (intelligence) section of the Army's 9th Infantry Division, earning a Bronze Star. He participated in the D-Day invasion of Normandy, as well as the invasions of Tunisia and Sicily. With his division, he worked his way through enemy lines into France, the Ardennes and Germany. Part of his duty was to write reports documenting the speeches of Winston Churchill, Dwight D. Eisenhower and Omar Bradley as he stood at the bottom of the stage when they addressed the troops prior to D-Day. He retired with the rank of master sergeant.

After the war, he returned to the United States and married Margaret Jeanette Gard, who preceded him in death after 19 years of marriage. He moved with his family to California before being called back into the Army with the outbreak of the Korean War, earning a second Bronze Star and retiring as a warrant officer.

Following the war, Mr. Mills started his business, Snooty Draperies in Anaheim, which continues today in its 41st year, operated by his son, Richard Mills, of Placentia, who noted that Mr. Mills "liked to listen to opera and classical music, enjoyed art, architecture, antiques, design and making things with his hands. His imagination could take something ordinary and turn it into something extraordinary." He made a difference in other people's lives by sharing his love for story telling, creating unique home environments for himself as well as his clients and his concern for preservation of national parks and wildlife.

He is survived by his sons, Richard and Randall; grandchildren, Jason, Aaron, Devon and Brandon; and great grandchildren, Christian, Kate, Riley and Kaylyn Mills.

Memorial services will be held on Wednesday, September 28th, 2011 at 6:30 p.m. at Living Spring Christian Fellowship, 9851 Bixby Ave., Garden Grove.