Lorene Mills

With great sorrow, the Mills, Ramsey and Maszak families announce the passing of our dear, sweet mother, sister, and grandmother, Lorene Mills. She passed away at the age of 97, at home in Camas, on April 16, 2023.

Born Anna Lorene Ramsey on December 24, 1925 in Camas, she grew up during the Depression as the eldest of nine siblings. Times were tough, but her family made do and she often recalled fond memories of her childhood.

While attending Washougal High School Lorene enjoyed being a majorette in the Drum and Bugle Corp, and working at the Roxy movie theater. She married her high school sweetheart, Bob Mills, in her senior year before he went overseas with the Navy during WWII. She graduated from Washougal High School in 1944.

After the war, Bob and Lorene settled in Camas where they both worked at the paper mill. They enjoyed bowling, square dancing, fishing, and picnics with family and friends. When they had children, Lorene stayed at home, and they raised three kids together. Home was now on rural acreage in Washougal, where Lorene was keen on keeping her flower and strawberry beds weed-free and keeping invasive blackberry bushes in-check. Bob and Lorene enjoyed attending their kids’ activities, and the whole family had fun on trips to the beach and camping in the woods. In later years Bob and Lorene liked travelling to WWII Navy reunions, garage sale-ing, and trips to Reno. Sadly, Bob passed away in 1998, but Lorene still lived a full life and she always took great joy in her children and grandchildren.

Lorene was a delightful person who had a great sense of humor and often made her family laugh with her witty remarks. She was a joy to be around and took pleasure in the simple things in life. Even people she would just meet loved her sweet smile and charm. She is deeply missed.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Glenn and Anna (Miller) Ramsey, her husband, Robert Mills, her sisters Geraldine Ramsey, Phyllis Romine, Gwen Weseman, her brothers Merlin Ramsey, Russell Ramsey, and her son Brian Mills.

Lorene is survived by her daughter Susan (Mark) Maszak, her son Bruce Mills, her grandchildren Serena (Maria) Maszak-Prato, Alexander Maszak, Sandra Maszak, Nathaniel Maszak, Benjamin Maszak and Jonathan Mills, her brother David (Bettie) Ramsey and her sisters Claudia Murray and Sharon (Felix) Betcher, and many nieces and nephews.

Family and friends are invited to a memorial service June 24, 2023 at the home of Sharon and Felix Betcher, 924 SE Blair Rd, Washougal, at 2:00pm.