Larry Waide Mills

Larry Waide Mills, 88, of Parkersburg passed away on Thursday, February 26, 2026, at The Willows Center.

He was born in Jackson County on August 30, 1937, to the late William Arthur and Opal DeLong Mills.

Larry was a retired member of the Sheet Metal Workers Local Union 33 in Parkersburg. He was also a member of the Geppetto Woodcarvers Club of Parkersburg where he hand-carved numerous birds, fish, flowers, and sets of cowboy boots that were mailed to several states and Denmark. His true passion was carving and engraving flintlock black powder rifles with various German silver inlays and carving powder horns. Larry spent many hours in the basement tinkering around making guns and gadgets and playing with his train sets.

He is survived by his loving wife of 66 years, Betty Westfall Mills; son, Lorne Mills (Lori); daughter, Belinda Haynes (Troy); grandchildren, Bradley Bryan (Kay), Mark Bryan (Alexis), Ethan Mills, Levi Mills (Elizabeth); great-grandchildren, Sophia Mills, Brooklynn and Savannah Bryan, Elliot Himes, Elena and Callie Bryan, and a great-grandson on the way; sister, Zana Gemmer; sister-in-law, Barbara Fields (Charles); and several nieces and nephews.

In addition to his parents, Larry was preceded in death by brother and sister-in-law, Lyle Alvin Mills and Dorothy Mills; sisters-in-law, Kay Hague (Bob) and Pauline Williams (Vic); and brother-in-law, Charles Gemmer.

Funeral services will be conducted 1:00 p.m., Wednesday, March 4, 2026, at Vaughan Kimes Funeral Home with Pastor Don Yeager officiating. Military honors will be offered by American Legion Post 15. Interment will follow at Sunset Memorial Gardens. His family will receive friends from 11:00 a.m. until service time at the funeral home.