Donna Mills, a longtime Nipomo resident and former Lucia Mar school board member, died Monday after struggling with complications of post-polio syndrome.
Mills, 59, served for 12 years as a trustee on the school board through 2006. During that time the Lucia Mar Unified School District passed two bonds – one to renovate Arroyo Grande High School and another to build Nipomo High.
In her tenure, the school board also acquired land from two developers for future school sites and built a new elementary and high school in Nipomo and Lopez Continuation School in Arroyo Grande.
“Donna was a mover and shaker for getting Nipomo High School’s location and all the particulars in place before it was built,” said trustee Colleen Martin, who served alongside Mills.
Mills’ civic involvement included the Nipomo Community Advisory Council, Nipomo Chamber of Commerce, parent-teacher associations, school site councils and the Nipomo Youth Coalition.
She was honored as the Nipomo Citizen of the Year in 1993 and 2001, and as a Cuesta College Woman of Distinction in 2001. She also received the Paul Harris Award from the Five Cities Rotary.
Mills grew up in Sunnyvale and received a bachelor’s degree from Cal State Hayward.
She is survived by her husband, Bill, and her children, Jennifer and Billy.
Reach AnnMarie Cornejo at 781-7939. Stay updated by following @a_cornejo on Twitter.
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