George Ralph Mills, Jr.

George Ralph Mills, Jr. was born November 27, 1964, in Camden South Carolina.  He is the youngest of two children born to George Ralph Mills, Sr. and Ruth Miller Mills.  He transitioned Sunday evening, April 4, 2021 at Prisma Health Hospital, Columbia, SC.

Ralph, affectionately known as “Ralphie”, grew up in Columbia, South Carolina.  He started playing the piano at 4 years old. This was the catalyst to his interest and passion for music. As a youth he attended Reid Chapel AME Church where he sang on the youth choir and played piano during Sunday School.  He was educated in Richland County School District One, graduating in 1983 from C.A. Johnson High School. After graduation he attended the University of South Carolina, where he studied Music Education.  

Ralph loved children and was a gifted teacher. He served as Music Teacher at St. Martin dePorres Catholic Church for 7 years. While at St. Martin’s, Ralph founded and directed the “I Stand for Christ” Youth Choir. The choir performed concerts throughout the state and also performed with gospel recording artist John P. Kee. His gifts as a speaker and trainer were recognized in his career as a licensed financial services representative with Primerica for over 13 years, reaching the level of Regional Leader. 

Ralph also created a fashion line “Miliano Creations” along with his best friend Yvonne Marshall. He was the designer; she was the seamstress, and together they created dozens of original designs and hosted fashion shows. 

Ralph was talented in many areas. He was a black belt in Karate. He could create an architectural blueprint for a house and complete the interior design, and he was an artist; however, his first love was music. He had a voice that could sing every vocal range and he could play any song by ear.

As a young adult, his love for gospel music led him to relocate to Camden, SC, where he would serve as Minister of Music at Mt. Moriah Baptist Church for over 20 years. He loved all genres of music and was a tremendously gifted musician. He wanted to see others succeed in the music industry and was passionate about recognizing and highlighting talented musicians.  This inspired him to open a music studio, “The Jukebox”, where he provided aspiring musicians access to a recording studio, piano lessons, and voice lessons.  

Ralph is preceded in death by his father, George Ralph Mills, Sr.  He leaves behind his mother Ruth Miller-Mills, sister, Sharon Mills Pinckney (Mike), brother, Tellys Hunter (Renea), and a host of aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

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