A. Kenneth Mills

1938 - 2019

A. Kenneth Mills

Fruitland - Austin Kenneth "Kenny" Mills, age 80, passed away on April 28, 2019 due to complications of Pulmonary Fibrosis. Born on December 30, 1938 in Salisbury, MD, he was the son of Austin and Madge Mills and the brother of Elizabeth Fowler, who preceded him.

Mr. Mills was an active member of the business community for over 59 years. He co-founded the family business with his father, Mills Motors in 1956, which is still a successful automobile dealership in Fruitland. He founded Top City with locations in Fruitland and Salisbury, MD; Accomack, VA; Dover, Laurel and Bear, DE. Always looking for new opportunities, he started Fruitland and Salisbury Mini-Storage, Cars Plus in Fruitland, and later added Cubes Storage to Go, Mills Towing and Mills Rental Cars to the Mills Group. Mr. Mills took an active interest in the community and served on the Bank of Fruitland Board and City of Fruitland committees.

Besides being successful and well regarded in the business world, Mr. Mills was an enthusiastic horseman and one of the premier breeders of American Quarter Horses for over 20 years. He showed in Halter Classes at countless Quarter Horse and Paint Horse shows throughout the country, winning many prestigious awards, and raised some of the finest World Champion Quarter Horses and American Paint Horses. It is without a doubt that he made a significant impact in the world of horse breeding and showing and was well liked and respected by his colleagues. Up until a few years ago, trail riding in the forests and countryside of the Eastern Shore was an activity that he thoroughly enjoyed.

Another passion was Drag Racing back in the 1960s, again winning many awards and trophies for his endeavors. Mr. Mills was also instrumental in starting several subdivisions in and around the Fruitland, Maryland, Hunt Club South, Creekside East, Doe Run, Meadow Brook and Nantego Woods. He also enjoyed the challenge of renovating homes in the area and bringing them back to be enjoyed and lived in by new families. Mr. Mills loved Fruitland and was proud to live there.

For more than 59 years. Mr. Mills was a member of the Tony Tank Tribe 149 Improved Order of Redman in Fruitland. He will be sorely missed by his many friends and colleagues in the community. In November 2017, Mr. Mills was honored by the City of Fruitland as Citizen of the Year. It was a wonderful and well-deserved tribute to a man who was beyond generous and supportive of so many people.

Mr. Mills is survived by his loving and devoted wife, Kara Mills; sons, A. Jeffrey Mills and his wife Teresa of Princess Anne, William K. Mills and his wife Teresa of Salisbury. Both sons have inherited their father's love of the automobile business and have continued the tradition. Also surviving are his six beautiful granddaughters, Jennifer Mills O'Keefe, Ashley Mills Davis and her husband Deltez, Heather Mills-Brenner and her husband Michael, Jessica and Lynnsey Mills; great-grandsons, Ayden and Mason O'Keefe; step-son Christopher Perantoni; step-daughter Lisa Perantoni; great-granddaughter Angelina Perantoni of Bloomington, IN; nephews Steven and Bruce Fowler of Salisbury, MD.

A Visitation will be held Friday, May 3, 2019 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Holloway Funeral Home in Salisbury, MD. A Funeral Service will take place on Saturday, May 4, 2019 at 11:00 AM, also at Holloway's. A Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service. Entombment will immediately follow at Wicomico Memorial Park in Salisbury, MD.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in Kenny's memory may be made to the Fruitland Volunteer Fire Dept., 104 E Main St, Fruitland, MD 21826.

Arrangements are in the care of Holloway Funeral Home, P.A., 501 Snow Hill Road, Salisbury, MD 21804. To send condolences to the family, please visit www.hollowayfh.com.