Esther Elizabeth Mill

Esther Elizabeth Mill

It is with a heavy heart and deep gratitude for her life that we announce the passing of our loving mother, Esther Elizabeth Mill (Crider). Born on January 16, 1934, she passed peacefully on December 22, 2025, closing a long, full life lived with grace, humor, and a spirit that never dimmed. She was married to the love of her life, Albert John “Jack” Mill Jr., for 56 wonderful years before his passing on October 20, 2008. Their love was steady, loyal, and eternal — the kind of bond that becomes the foundation of a family.

Esther is survived by her children: Barbara A. Mill, Albert J. “Jack” Mill III (wife Dawn), Steven D. Mill (wife Larisa), and Cynthia “Cindy” E. Smith (husband Daniel).

Her grandchildren — Katy (husband Ryan), Angela (husband Chris), Shelby (husband Matt), Matthew, Anthony, Meghan, Alexander, and Harrison — brought her endless joy. Her great grandchildren — Braden, Reagan, Isla, and Isabella — carried her light into the next generation.

To know Esther was to feel welcomed. She had a way of making people feel like family, whether through a warm hug, a kind word, or a baked good delivered at just the right moment. She lived by a simple philosophy: do for others before yourself, be a shining light, and never complain. And she meant it. If you asked how she was doing, her answer was always the same: “I can’t complain.”

Early Life

Esther was born in Boyds, Maryland, to Hayes W. Crider and Barbara S. Crider, who had moved from Crider Mountain, West Virginia, where Hayes worked as a lumberjack running a small sawmill. Hayes and Barbara welcomed their first three children — Vernon, Faydine, and Audrey — while living on Crider Mountain. Life on the mountain was hard, marked by the heartbreaking loss of their fourth child, Charlotte, who passed away from health complications made worse by the remoteness of the area. Seeking a better life, they moved to Maryland, where Esther was born while Hayes worked on the King Farm in Gaithersburg.

Family stories passed down through the years suggest that Esther carried Cherokee heritage through her father’s grandmother — something reflected in the features and quiet strength her family often spoke of.

Growing up on a farm meant early mornings and hard work. Esther helped care for the dairy cows and other animals, walked to school, and attended the Church of the Brethren, where she was baptized in a local creek. Life moved quickly: her brother Hayes Jr. was born as her father learned the plumbing trade, eventually moving the family to Rockville, Maryland, where her youngest sister, Patricia, was born.

A Love That Changed Everything

Esther attended Richard Montgomery High School and worked in her sister Faydine’s beauty salon. Those years in the salon were full of stories — laughter, long days, and the kind of sisterly teamwork that only grows stronger with time. One of the stories the sisters cherished most was the day they had the opportunity to serve Jackie Kennedy: Esther doing her fingernails while Faydine styled her hair. It was a quiet, proud moment for both of them — a brush with history that they carried with them for the rest of their lives.

It was also in that salon that Esther met the man who would change her life. A young man selling candy walked in with his brother. That man was Jack Mill, and from the moment he saw Esther, something in him knew. His playful questions — “Would you like to buy some candy for your husband?” and “How about your boyfriend?” — were met with Esther’s honest replies: she had neither. Jack didn’t waste a second. He asked her out right there, and she agreed, with one condition: he had to meet her parents. He did, and he made quite an impression. A whirlwind romance followed.

Jack was preparing to enlist in the U.S. Air Force and feared losing her if he waited too long. He proposed quickly, telling her he couldn’t bear the thought of her slipping away. She said yes. After basic training at Lackland AFB in Texas, they married on December 21, 1952, beginning a lifelong journey together.

Building a Family, Building a Life

Their early married life took them to Luke Air Force Base in Phoenix, Arizona. Jack worked as an orderly at the base hospital, and Esther worked as a cashier at Safeway. Their home was a small rented trailer, their car old and unreliable, but their love was strong. Jack sold Baby Tenda baby furniture on the side to help support their growing family, especially as they prepared to welcome their first child, Barbara, born in the summer. Jack affectionately called her “nutzer baby,” and the young couple was overjoyed.

As their family grew, they bought their own trailer and moved to a family park, forming friendships that lasted decades. Esther loved life, loved Jack, and adored her daughter.

When Jack’s Air Force service ended, they moved back to Maryland, settling in the Cider Barrel trailer park, where their first son, Jacky, was born. Money was tight, but their love and determination carried them through. Jack sold cars, Esther worked at Safeway, and eventually they purchased a home in Aspen Hill, Maryland. When the children entered school, Esther became a school bus driver — a job she cherished and spoke of fondly for years. She remembered the kids, their stories, their laughter, and the small moments that made each day meaningful.

Adventures on Land and Water

Jack and Esther shared a spirit of adventure, especially when it came to boating. Their boat, the “Miss DryRot,” carried them on countless family outings to places like Marshall Hall, where the adults played penny slots and the kids enjoyed arcade games. During this chapter of life, their next two children were born: Steven and Cindy. Cindy even took her first boat ride at just a few days old.

Family vacations became legendary: trips to Florida’s Marine Land, Daytona Beach, and Cape Canaveral; camping on beaches during unusually high tides; waking up to waves crashing into the tent while Jack and Esther slept peacefully on the boat. These memories became the stories the family would tell forever — the kind of stories that grow sweeter with time.

Eventually, the pull of Florida grew strong, and the family moved to Orlando, first living in Casselberry and then Pine Hills. Their Florida adventures included sunrise Easter services at Daytona Beach, trips to the Keys, fishing in rivers and intercoastal waterways, and hosting lively family gatherings where everyone felt welcome.

A move to Vero Beach followed, where Jack managed a Cadillac dealership and Esther tended to the home. She became a beacon in the neighborhood — baking cakes for kids whose parents couldn’t, hosting gatherings for teens celebrating milestones, and opening her home to anyone who needed a place to feel loved. People gravitated toward her warmth.

As Jacky and Barbara went off to college at UCF, Esther and Jack returned to Orlando and purchased the Orlando School of Music, which Esther managed with skill and heart. She hired instructors, scheduled lessons, and organized recitals with meticulous care — always making sure the students felt proud and supported.

The Boat She Loved Most

Over the years, Jack and Esther owned several boats, but Esther’s favorite was the “Easy Luv Inn,” a cabin cruiser with a flying bridge — big enough for week long trips, small enough to trailer. Their adventures included: - Silver Glen Springs, where they paddled their inflatable dinghy among 150 boats, meeting new friends every weekend - Crystal River, where they spent holidays swimming in cool springs, scalloping, and socializing - The Great Loop of Northern Florida, traveling from New Smyrna to Jacksonville and up the St. John’s River to DeLand Wherever they went, they made friends. Their boating community became a second family — people who shared their love of the water, the sun, and the simple joy of being together.

Loss, Resilience, and the Final Chapters

On October 20, 2008, Esther faced the greatest heartbreak of her life: the sudden passing of her beloved Jack. Her world shifted, but the community she had poured herself into for decades surrounded her with love, support, and gentle understanding. With their help — and with the strength she had always shown others — she continued forward, carrying Jack in her heart and holding onto the hope of being reunited with him someday.

Esther later worked at an auto auction, where she became a cherished member of the team. She baked birthday cakes, banana nut muffins, and cornbread; worked the auction lane; reconciled drafts; handled dealer registration; and eventually greeted dealers in the security room, where she was known simply as Miss Esther — always with a smile, always with a hug, always with a kind word.

In her later years, as her health declined, she lived in assisted living facilities where she continued to shine. She made new friends, thanked everyone who helped her, and never once complained. If asked how she was doing, her answer remained unchanged: “I can’t complain.”

A Life of Light

Through 91 years of motion, generosity, and love, Esther lived a life defined not by what she took, but by what she gave. She was a mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister, friend, and light to all who knew her.

Esther — Mom — you will be missed terribly. Go be with Jack.

As we remember her, we hold close the words of John 1:5: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”