Steve Mills obituary

My friend Steve Mills, who has died aged 74, was a senior lecturer in American studies at Keele University, where he worked from 1976 until 2009. Afterwards he became a visiting tutor at Ruskin College, Oxford, a role he held until 2012.

One of Steve’s proudest achievements came in the early 2000s, when his department at Keele was awarded an exceptional score of five out of five for its teaching, as well as its research, by the Total Quality Assurance inspection body.

A warm, caring and generous man, he was also an educationist in everyday life, not just in academic settings: he would join toddlers at their music classes, and a walk along the street with his grandchildren would be be seen as a chance to help them learn facts about their local environment.

Born in Westow, North Yorkshire, to Kenneth Mills and his wife, Blanche (nee Blake), who were wardens of a youth hostel, Steve went to Southwell Minster chorister school, where he immersed himself in music and anything to do with the outdoors. After a degree in American studies and geography at Keele he gained a master’s from Maryland University in the US, where he also taught for a period.

In 1976 he returned to the UK – and Keele – to become a lecturer in American studies. From 2009 to 2012 he was a research fellow at Keele’s David Bruce Centre for American Studies while also tutoring at Ruskin College.

He and his wife, Nina (nee Dawes), whom he married in 1984, enjoyed family life, embracing a host of extended relatives at their home. Highly knowledgable about films, he liked to sit down with his grandchildren to watch popular Disney movies. He also relished supporting Nina, who was chief executive at Lichfield council, as she attended various civic and national events for her work.

He is survived by Nina, their children, Jesse, Sam and Sara, Nina’s daughter, Vibeke, from a previous relationship, and four grandchildren, Katinka, Joules, Lana and Arthur.