Kenneth Poe Funeral Services

April 26, 2024

Charlotte, North Carolina – “Broken heart syndrome” the experts call it, one loved one dying soon after another.

Charlie Mills passed away on April 17, the day after getting a clean bill of health from his doctor. His death was as unexpected as it could be for a World War II fighter pilot who was 101.

Charlie’s loved ones decided not to tell Penny, his wife of 70 years. She was suffering from advanced dementia. It likely wasn’t going to be long. Why break her heart? Still, everyone agreed that somehow she knew.

Lorene Davidson Mills passed away the day after Charlie's burial. She was 99. At the end, Penny’s niece and nephew, Eddie and Sheila Davidson, were seated on either side of her. Each held a hand. On their cell phone they listened to some of the recordings of Penny playing her favorite hymns on the piano, including “How Great Thou Art.”

Broken heart indeed. Before death came, Charlie would leave the room for 10 minutes and Penny would insist he was gone for an hour and when was he coming back?

Penny grew up in Newton, N.C., 40 miles northwest of Charlotte. After graduating valedictorian from Newton High School in 1942, she began taking business courses at nearby Lenoir-Rhyne College (now University). A lack of money, though, cut short her education.

She spent her career doing administrative work for Wachovia. Banking was far from the truest blessing of her life. A blind date in 1953 with Charlie Mills from neighboring Iredell County led to a marriage graced by long walks, golf games and an exchange that spanned the decades:

“I love you,” Penny would say.

“I love you more,” Charlie would respond.

Charlie and Penny (she preferred that to her given name) built a life majestic in its simplicity. Since 1961, they belonged to Amity Presbyterian, a friendly little church not far from their home in east Charlotte. Penny once made a hole in one and Charlie bragged about it for the rest of their lives. They enjoyed watching TV game shows and Lawrence Welk. She enjoyed housework, especially cooking. Laundry not so much, so she got him to do it. Penny enjoyed going to her hairdresser, and being treated with the cherry tootsie roll pop she received when she was done.

After the dementia set in, Charlie took care of Penny. Mornings he’d serve her a muffin topped with vanilla ice cream. Evenings he was the last one she’d see before closing her eyes. None of this was a chore for him. It was a privilege, a way to show Penny that indeed he loved her more.

Penny is survived by numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, Amos and Lizzie Davidson; her husband, Charles Crawford Mills Jr.; and eight siblings – Beulah Reavis (Jesse), Gertrude Smyre (Ralph), Mary Setzer (Homer), Rosa Livingston (Glenn), Lillian Davidson, Lonnie Davidson (Della), Richard Davidson (Mildred) and James Davidson (Edna).

The service to celebrate Penny’s life will be at 2:00 PM Friday, May 3, at Amity Presbyterian Church, 2831 N. Sharon Amity Road, Charlotte. The service will be livestreamed at https://www.facebook.com/amitypresbyterian for those unable to attend in person. Visitation follows at the church.

A gift in Penny’s memory can be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 2101 Rexford Road, No. 165W, Charlotte, NC 28211 (www.stjude.org); Shriner’s Children, 950 W. Faris Rd., Greenville, SC 29605 (www.shrinerschildrens.org); or Amity Presbyterian Church, 2831 N. Sharon Amity Road, Charlotte, NC 28205 (www.amitypc.org).

Penny and Charlie were grateful for their neighbors, whose hugs, meals and “How ya doings?” were gifts from angels.

Penny will be buried beside Charlie under two oak trees at Sharon Memorial Park.

Arrangements are in the care of Kenneth W. Poe Funeral & Cremation Service, 1321 Berkeley Ave., Charlotte, NC 28204; (704) 641-7606. Online condolences may be shared at www.kennethpoeservices.com.