Eleanor June Sills, a long-time resident of Mifflinburg, PA and Fayetteville, NC passed away peacefully with her family at her side at Village Green Rehabilitation and Health Care Center in Fayetteville, NC after a short illness. She was born at home on June 17, 1921 in Mifflinburg, PA to the late Ernest Phillip Baker and Grace Moyer Baker. She was also preceded in death by her beloved sister, Frances Louise Baker Harris and June’s husband of almost 47 years, Colonel Gerald H. Sills.
June graduated from Mifflinburg High School in 1939. In August 1943, she graduated from Hahnemann University Hospital School of Nursing in Philadelphia, PA and entered the Army Nurse Corps during WWII. She served for two and a half years in the Greater Antilles as a First Lieutenant Army Nurse. Following the war, she did graduate work at Bucknell University for a year and the University of Southern California for three years.
In 1947, after serving together in the Greater Antilles during the war, she married Gerald Herbert Sills of Los Angeles, California. Colonel Sills was a Regular Army Officer and after 33 years of service and both having lived 19 years overseas, he retired. The Sills’ made their home in Miami, FL until his death.
June was interested in traveling and studying Biblical Archeology. For many years, she also enjoyed water and oil painting as a hobby and was quite an accomplished artist. She enjoyed spending time with her family and traveling with them.
June is survived by her daughter, Lieutenant Colonel (Ret.) Luisa Grace Sills Huffman and her husband, Lieutenant Colonel (Ret.) Charles M. Huffman and their son, Gerald David Huffman all of Fayetteville, NC. June resided with them for 7 months until she suddenly fell ill in January 2017. Prior to that, she enjoyed outings with them and her favorite hobby of shopping.
A memorial service along with military honors will be held at the Dominick T. Adamo Funeral Home, 247 Chestnut Street, Mifflinburg, at 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 25, 2017, with Pastor Gary L. Owens, officiating. Friends are welcome to join the family for refreshments at her home after the service. Interment will be at Arlington National Cemetery alongside her husband in Section 60 at a later date with full military honors.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to Herr Memorial Library, 500 Market Street, Mifflinburg, PA 17844.
Cremation services were provided by Fayetteville Cremation Services in Fayetteville, NC, local arrangements by Dominick t. Adamo Funeral Home. Please visit their websites at fayettevillecremationservices.com or www.adamofh.com for a tribute to her.