Gregory S. Mills

Gregory Scott Mills, 64, of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, passed away at home on September 25, 2026, after a hard-fought battle with cancer.

Greg was born May 18, 1962, in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, to Sherrild and Angela Mills. The youngest of three children, he grew up surrounded by family, horses, hard work, and the kind of stories that only get better with every telling. With a large extended family, cousins were plentiful, gatherings were loud, and figuring out exactly how everyone was related could sometimes take longer than the gathering itself.

Greg graduated from Coeur d’Alene High School in 1981. He married Lynda Wood on October 28, 1983, beginning a marriage that would span nearly 43 years and a life together filled with children, grandchildren, horses, cattle, hard work, laughter, adventures, and a tremendous amount of love.

Greg spent much of his career working for the State of Idaho Department of Transportation. After retiring, he discovered that retirement was never going to be for him and found a home with HMH Engineering, where he found not only work he enjoyed, but people he genuinely cared about.

Outside of work, Greg was most at peace with dirt under his boots and something that needed doing. He was a farmer, cattleman, horseman, and teamster. He worked horses in the woods logging, and over the years, he and Lynda gave countless hay and sleigh rides.

Greg was an avid supporter of the Draft Horse Association and participated with them in the Kootenai County Draft Horse Show and Pull at the North Idaho Fair and Rodeo. While at the fair, he also spent many years helping run the Mica Flats Grange food booth until the Grange booth eventually left the fair.

He loved good horses and cattle, but he had an especially soft spot for babies, foals, calves—human or otherwise—or just about anything small enough to need looking after.

Greg was a big man with an even bigger presence. He had a deep baritone voice, a booming laugh, and a handshake that meant something. He could talk to nearly anyone and usually did. He loved old westerns and John Wayne, a good joke, A&W root beer, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, ice cream, and anything that gave him an excuse to gather people together.

Music was woven throughout Greg’s life. He sang, whistled, called square dances, and danced with Lynda in their kitchen, with or without music. He grew up around the dances at Mica Flats Grange and carried that love of music and community throughout his life.

His family knew that Greg loved big. His hugs could crush the air out of you, his teasing was relentless, and if he loved you, you knew it.

His grandchildren knew him as Papa. He roughhoused with them, told them jokes, let them help steer the truck, taught them the importance of a proper handshake, and created the kind of memories that will be repeated in this family for generations. He was incredibly proud of all of his grandchildren.

Greg also had a knack for bringing home “bonus kids.” Little did the family know at the time that two of those kids, David Yerian and Joshua McMillan, would become such an important and lasting part of the Mills family. That family grew another generation with Reese Yerian, whom Greg proudly claimed as an honorary grandchild.

For a few very special children over the years, Greg had another job entirely. Once a year, when the sleigh bells rang, Papa became Santa Claus.

Greg is survived by his wife of nearly 43 years, Lynda; his children, Levi (Kim) Mills, Lyndsi (Jason Drader) Mills, and Kaitlyn (Chris) Smith; his grandchildren, Mackynzi Mills Drader, Kayden Mills Drader, Hunter Smith, Ryleigh Smith, Sean Mills, and Alyssa Mills; his sisters, Jeannie (Mark) Mellor and Sherri (Larry) Farr; and numerous cousins, nieces, nephews, extended family members, and dear friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Sherrild and Angela Mills; his father-in-law, Thomas D. Wood; numerous beloved aunts and uncles; and a niece and nephew. Greg shared an especially close bond with his father, Sherrild, whom he considered his very best friend.

There is no neat way to sum up a man like Greg Mills. He was a husband, Dad, Papa, brother, uncle, friend, farmer, cattleman, horseman, teamster, storyteller, square dance caller, and occasional Santa Claus.

He worked hard. He laughed loudly. He loved deeply. And he took up a great deal of space—not just in a room, but in the lives of the people who loved him.

That space feels impossibly quiet now.

In lieu of flowers, the family welcomes memorial donations to any of three causes meaningful to Greg and his family: the Mica Flats Grange Scholarship Fund, the Jolly Workers of Mica 4-H Club, or the purchase of trees to create a living memorial to Greg on the family ranch.

Donations to the Mica Flats Grange Scholarship Fund may be made at micaflatsgrange.org by selecting the donation option. Donations for the Jolly Workers of Mica 4-H Club or Greg’s memorial trees may be sent via Venmo to Lynda at @Lynda-Mills-14 or directly to the family. Please include a note indicating which memorial fund you would like your donation directed to.

Celebration of Greg's life will be 1:00 p.m. Friday October 9, 2026, at the Mica Flats Grange Hall, 7465 W Kidd Island Rd, Coeur d'Alene, ID 83814.

Private burial will take place at the Riverview Cemetery in Coeur d'Alene, ID.