Ernest Leon "Ernie" Mills Jr.

Ernest L. Mills, Jr. passed away at home on March 9, 2026, after living a long life of almost 92 years. He was the son of Earnest Mills, Sr. and Grace Russell of Milton, Delaware. Most people knew him as "Ernie Mills".

Ernie Mills was a well-known decoy maker. Further info can be found on Wikipedia under "Ernie Mills decoys". He served in the US Navy from 1952 to 1956, and was a

Korean War veteran. Most of his military service was aboard aircraft carriers, including the USS Ticonderoga CVA-14.

After his military service, he worked in the airlines business from 1956 to 1970 - mostly with Capital Airways in Delaware and South Carolina. Ernie was a licensed FAA cargo dispatcher. From 1970 to 1977, he worked for the Delaware State Police in the Communications Headquarters. He and his family moved to Central Georgia in 1978, where he worked in the airlines business until 1981 - serving some time with Hawaiian Airlines. In 1981, Ernie decided to become a decoy maker - something that interested him as a young man.

Ernie spent his first years living in Bangor, PA from 1934 to 1950. From there, he and his family moved to Elkton, MD, where they resided until 1952. Afterwards, they moved to Milton, DE, where his parents are now buried.

During his service in the US Navy in 1954, he married Jeannette Savage in her hometown of Milton, DE. He and his wife then resided in the Dover, DE and New Castle, DE areas until 1968. Ernie and his family of three children lived in Bangor, ME from 1968 to 1969 - and then moved back to Delaware, where they resided in Smyrna, DE.

During Ernie's career as a decoy maker, he became well known and demonstrated his craft at many events. The Smithsonian Institution sponsored Ernie at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. From 1981 until 2014, Ernie demonstrated his decoy making at the Mossy Creek Barnyard Festival in Houston County, GA, where he was one of the headliners. He served several years at the Georgia National Fair in Perry, GA in the art category. Ernie Mills was a life-sponsor of Ducks Unlimited, where he met many people interested in his decoys. He continued to make decoys until he was 90 years old.

Ernie and his wife, Jeannette, had a large family including 3 children, 8 grandchildren, and 4 great-grandchildren.

With honor, Burpee-Scott Memorial Chapel & Crematory has been entrusted with arrangements.