Susan Yates Mills

Susan Yates Mills, 73 of Leesburg, Virginia passed on Thursday, April 9, 2020, at Heritage Hall in Leesburg, Virginia. Born Friday, January 10, 1947, she was predeceased by her parents William Lindsey and Dorothy Woods Yates of Apex, North Carolina and her sister Gayle Yates Reid of Winston Salem, North Carolina. She is survived by her husband Wayne C. Mills of Leesburg, VA., son Jeffrey (wife Tina) Mills of Fort Ashby, WV., two grandchildren Joseph and Sarah of Sterling, VA, a brother David (wife Barbara) Yates of Graham, North Carolina and two nieces Tiffany McEwen of Mebane, North Carolina and Whitney Yates of Snow Camp, North Carolina. Susan spent 35 years as a teacher and administrator after graduation from Campbell University with a bachelor’s degree in 1969 in Elementary Education. She earned a Master’s degree in Education from VPI in 1974. She began her teaching career at Sterling Elementary in 1969. In 1973 she moved on to become a Reading Specialist. She was chosen to help open Sugarland Elementary as an Assistant Principal in 1975. She entered the administrative field as Principal of Aldie Elementary School in 1978. Her next administrative post was the Alternative School at Douglass School as an Assistant Principal in 1982. Susan moved on to her next administrative post in 1985 at Sterling Elementary were she was appointed as Principal; the same school where she started her teaching career. She finished her career at Catoctin Elementary School where she spent the next 15 years from 1989 -2004 when she retired. After retiring Susan continued working part-time for the Loudoun County Public Schools on special projects for the Personnel Department for the next 14 years. She was an avid volunteer. After recovery from breast cancer in 2005 she helped to establish the Loudoun Breast Health Network in 2007. She spent the last 14 years raising funds to help breast cancer survivors who need financial assistance. LBHN is an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Their mission is to assist residents in Loudoun County diagnosed with breast cancer through outreach and support. Another volunteer group that Susan was very fond of was The Ladies Board of Inova Loudoun Hospital of which she was a member and President of the organization at the time of her passing. For the past 10 years she was one of the chairpersons in the famously organized Book Barn at The Ladies Board annual Rummage Sale in October each year. She and her volunteers would organize about 40,000 books by author or subject, both hardback and softback and sell about half of them. Her volunteer worked tirelessly for a successful sale each year. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that donations be made on her behalf to the Loudoun Breast Health Network, P.O. Box 6154, Leesburg, VA 20178 or a charity of your choosing Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic a memorial service will be held in the future.

Susan Yates Mills

January 10, 1947 - April 9, 2020