Mills_Rex_29 Jun 1900
Rex Mills Drowned in Portneuf
There was a large attendance at the impressive funeral services held Monday afternoon for Rex Mills, 42, who was drowned Oct. 5, 1942 in the Portneuf river about 3 miles northeast of Lava Friday evening. The services were at the Second Ward tabernacle with Bishop Junius Crowther presiding.
Speakers were H.E. Thomas, S.A. Hendricks, William Rutter, a missionary companion, H.D. Landis, president of the Landis Tractor Company of Salt lake, Bishop Junius Crowther; musical numbers were furnished by J. Guy Gleed, vocal solo, accompanied by Mrs. S.A. Hendricks, violin solo, Mrs. HJelen Ossmen, accompanied by Mrs. Cleopha Probst; and two vibraphone selections, Lowell Hicks, Salt Lake.
Prayers were offered by H.O. Mabey and Ed N. Crowther.
The grave was dedicated by Patriarch Jesse H. Dredge.
The body of Rex Mills was recovered Saturday at 9:30 a.m. from the Portneuf River after a 16 hour search.
Returning from fishing, Mr. Mills apparently slipped while crossing the small river and was swept into a deep hole. Friends said he could not swim.
Sheriff’s officers said Mr. Mills and two brothers visiting from California, Lowell and Varsell lMills, were fishing several miles up-stream from Lava.
They had put away their tackle and were returning to their car about 5 p.m. The two California men walking ahead, waited several hundred yards below a ford adjacent to a deep hole, for their brother.
Becoming alarmed after a half hour wait, they returned to where they left Mr. Mills, but found no sign of him. They hunted fruitlessly through the tangled underbrush, then one brother came to Lava for help.
Led by deputy sheriffs, men hunted along the river and dragged the stream.
At two o’clock Saturday morning, Sheriff Bowen of Mald was summoned, who together with a party consisting of Lyman Wight, D. P. Jones, W.E. Evans, Doyle Keller, W.J. Jones, William H. Jones and Parley Deschamps arrived to continue the hunt.
About nine o’clock Saturday morning one of the searchers located the dead man’s fishing rod in the river. Shortly thereafter Lyman Wight discovered the body while searching a hole with grappling hooks about a quarter mile downstream from the ford. Lew Jackson of Lava Hot Springs helped Mr. Wight recover the body.
Mr. Mills was born in Centerville, Utah, June 29, 1900, a son of H.I. and Mary Mills. He had lived in Malad 33 years, moving here with his parents. He was a farmer and caterpillar tractor salesman. He married Lyle Rose in Salt Lake City temple about 19 years ago.
Survivors, besides the widow, include three children, Roselle, Deverl and Flora Mills; his parents, all of Malad, two brothers, besides the two mentioned, and three sisters, Melburn and Paul Mills of Malad, Mrs. Gladys Williams of Hawthorne, California, Mrs. Marian Crowton of Salt lake City, and Mrs. Eileen Madison of Valejo, Califormia.