Joanna Mills died at peace in the presence of family in Greencastle on Friday, Aug. 18, 2023, of natural causes. She was 89.She was born in Peterborough, N.H., to John Richard Rohrbough of West Virginia and Jessie Rowe (Rohrbough), an Englishwoman. The family moved to New Jersey and to Cambridge, Mass., before relocating to Coronado, Calif., in 1945, John having been drafted into the Navy.
She graduated from Coronado High School in 1951 having served as editor of the school newspaper, which led to further work as a reporter. She worked her way through San Diego State College with a degree in liberal arts. She loved philosophy. She sold short stories to various magazines, became city editor of the Coronado Journal — taking news photos for that paper as well — and said the hardest work she ever did was a semester teaching English at the Bishop’s School in La Jolla.
She was a committed political activist who loved America. She campaigned for Adlai Stevenson both times, and took part in picketing the Woolworth’s in downtown San Diego, protesting the nationwide segregation policy of that store. She never crossed a picket line. She met her future husband at a meeting for progressive Democrats, encouraged him in his initial decision to run for office, and collaborated in his campaigns and his legislative career. They married in 1959 and made their home in San Diego.
Her three children were all born in Coronado. After establishing them in school, Joanna earned her J.D. degree in 1982 from California Western School of Law and joined the California Bar. She established a law practice with a focus on contracts, wills and amicable divorces. She excelled at crafting documents to establish people’s intentions and wishes on a firm legal basis, but multiple sclerosis unexpectedly cut short her law career. In 2016 she moved to Indiana to live near her daughter Eleanor and family.
She was preceded in death by her parents, beloved stepmother Maxine Martin Rohrbough, brother Jon Rohrbough, stepbrother Bruce Martin, nephews Peter Steyers and Alan Moore, and ex-husband James Mills.
In this world she leaves brother Peter Rohrbough of Texas, sister Caroline McCullough of California, stepsisters Kay Swiger of South Carolina and Terri Buffet of France, cousins in England and America, cherished nieces and nephews, three children with their partners and nine grandchildren: Beatrice and Paul Germain of Oregon (Thomas, Helen and Michael), Bill and Tracy Mills of California (Jaina, James and Julia) and Eleanor and Brian Howard of Indiana (George, Susanna and Alice).
She liked people. She had a passion for language and for helping others, and was an insatiable reader. She practiced forgiveness. She tried to be a peacemaker. She thought life was good, and various tribulations never changed her view on that point.
A memorial service will be held at Gobin Memorial United Methodist Church in Greencastle on Saturday, Sept. 2 at 1 p.m., when we will make a joyful noise to the Lord. Attendees are encouraged to wear bright, cheerful colors. A second service is planned at the First United Methodist Church of San Diego, with scattering of ashes in the Pacific.
In place of flowers, Joanna’s family encourage all to honor her memory by being sweet to each other.
