A Legacy of Excellence: The Mills Family Impact

When Tim Mills (Class of '76) was invited to take a ride in Bill Lindquist’s 1955 Ford Thunderbird to visit Kents Hill School, he couldn’t pass up the opportunity! At the time, Bill was serving on the Kents Hill Board of Trustees and thought Kents Hill School would be an excellent fit for Tim.

Tim was immediately drawn to the small class sizes and the flexibility faculty had in tailoring lesson plans to best support and engage their students. What impressed him most, however, was the unwavering dedication of the faculty and how they truly cared about the students and were always available to help prepare them for college. Tim fondly recalls his English and Photography teachers, who encouraged students to explore the details of the subjects, whether it be the implied meaning of famous writings or how a photographer should compose a picture. After graduating from Kents Hill, Tim went on to earn a business degree at the University of New Hampshire.

Fast forward to 2002, when Tim’s daughter, Aleigh, decided entirely on her own to present to her parents why she wanted to attend Kents Hill. A visit was arranged, with Matt Crane and Amy Smucker giving Aleigh a tour. Tim was particularly impressed when Rist Bonnefond took time out of his busy day to introduce himself to Aleigh, Tim, and Donna, and thank Tim for returning to campus.

Aleigh easily made friends and enjoyed being with classmates of many cultures and backgrounds. She often invited friends back to the Mills’ local home in Wayne on weekends, building strong connections between not only Aleigh and her peers, but also her peers and her parents – Tim and Donna. A standout athlete, Aleigh led the girls basketball team to three consecutive MAISAD championships and was named MVP during her one season on the tennis team. Tim believes the boarding environment at Kents Hill helped Aleigh develop maturity and confidence throughout her four years.

In honor of Aleigh’s memory, Tim and his late wife, Donna, decided to leave a legacy gift to Kents Hill School. “Kents Hill did so much for my family, and the school honors Aleigh’s memory each year with the Aleigh Mills Basketball Tournament,” Tim shares. For him, the gift is not just about honoring Aleigh’s memory, but about creating opportunities for future generations of students. “I want future Huskies to have the same opportunities that Aleigh and I had. What better way to do that than by funding the Aleigh Mills Scholarship in my estate?”

Feeling inspired by Tim's story? Discover if Planned Giving is the right path for you. Click below to learn more, or reach out to Steve Eckhardt, Director of Planned Giving at seckhardt@kentshill.org.