HAVERHILL — Ron Mills operated a successful window and interior decorating business with his wife Carol, but he also poured his heart and soul into Common Ground Ministries, which he helped found along with its outreach center, Common Ground Cafe’ and Food Pantry.
Over the years Common Ground became a place of respite and support for those who are homeless, are at risk of homelessness, or are facing a grim financial situation that leaves them little choice but to seek out food, clothing and other forms of support in a welcoming, non-judgmental environment.
Mills, 80, chairman of the board and president of Common Ground, and the 2019 recipient of the Taffe award, died March 19 at High Pointe House in Haverhill. His legacy lives on in the work that continues to be done by Common Ground and its 100 volunteers to help people in their times of need.
Ron and Carol Mills raised a son, Mark, 58, of Exeter, who works as an IT manager, and a daughter Jennifer Mills, 48, also of Merrimac, who had been working alongside her father at Windows Within for nearly two years and up until Jan. 2 when her father suffered a debilitating stroke that forced him to retire and seek medical care. Carol Mills said Jennifer plans to continue operating Windows Within and continue to serve its many loyal customers.
“After Ron was released from the hospital he went to Northeast Rehab as he’d lost his ability to swallow and also required speech therapy,” Carol Mills said. “After several weeks we brought him home and cared for him until he contracted pneumonia and he had to return to the hospital for a week. After fighting for a week he decided to end treatments and last week he asked to come home to Jesus. Last Friday he said he was at peace and was accepted at High Pointe House, where he died Tuesday morning. They provided wonderful care to Ron.”
“Ron was a wonderful provider,” Carol added. “He loved his grandchildren and great grandchildren and he loved Jesus and wanted everyone to know who Jesus was. He was a good husband, a great father and a great businessman with great ethics. We celebrated our 59th wedding anniversary last week and I don’t know how he managed it, but he sent me flowers.”
Carol Mills said her husband’s legacy was his work at Common Ground.
“He loved people and people loved him and while at High Pointe he saw a steady stream of visitors eager to tell him how much they loved him. Even though he was sedated, they talked to him knowing he could hear them. They came to pray for him and sit by his bed.”
Bill Spirdione, executive director of Common Ground, said Mills brought wisdom to his work and that he stood up for what he believed in.
“He’s passed the torch and he left us with a strong board of directors and volunteers,” Spirdione said, adding that he runs the operation while David Braxton, vice president of the organization, brings a lot of IT, leadership as well as pastoral skills to the group.
A soft-spoken people person with boundless energy, Mills brought a steady hand to helping the most vulnerable in the community and also had a knack for finding grants and securing a steady stream of donations that helped Common Ground to flourish.
“We have many area churches who give to us to support our mission and our thrift store also raises money for us,” Spirdione said. “It does so well it pays our mortgage and utility bills.”
Deacon Lou Piazza of St. Augustine Parish, Andover, served as hospice chaplain to Ron and his wife. He said Ron was a faithful Christian who embodied the Biblical verse, “love your neighbor as yourself.”
The Common Ground Café was established in the fall of 2011 to fill the void in Haverhill’s inner-city Acre neighborhood when Somebody Cares New England, an outreach to the poor and homeless, transitioned to their new location at Currier Square in the Mount Washington neighborhood. Originally located near the corner of Winter and White streets, in 2020 Common Ground moved into the former Spartan Electronics building at 194 Winter St.
Mills often referred to Common Ground Café as a “haven of tranquility” for Haverhill’s inner-city Acre neighborhood, as well as the Mount Washington neighborhood and people who are homeless.
Coffee, snacks and lunch are served Monday through Friday from noon to 3:30 p.m. and breakfast and lunch is served Saturday and Sunday from 7 to 3:30 p.m.
Common Ground, which is open 365 days a year, operates a food bank that serves an average of 170 families per month and also provides clothing to clients at no cost. It also offers ESL classes.
“Homeless people don’t have a day off as their life is a constant struggle to survive,” Spirdione, said.
Two years ago, Common Ground sought to provide some dignity to homeless men and women when it installed a four-season restroom and shower trailer provided by the nonprofit Merrimack Valley Dream Center. Those who register for a hot shower also receive free toiletries such as toothpaste, toothbrushes, disposable shavers, shaving cream and disposable sandals for use when showering. Men and women receive new underwear and women receive new bras and personal care items.
Spirdione said the small mobile shower unit has since been replaced with a larger one that is wheelchair accessible and also has a washer and dryer. Last year Common Ground provided 700 showers while the mobile laundry center sees about 25 people a month.
“Ron’s personality and ability to find the best in people and lift them up were just part of what he was,” Spirdione said.
'; var element = document.getElementById("sub_message"); element.appendChild(subMessage); console.log("Code Loaded!"); } else { var subMessage = document.createElement('div'); subMessage.id = 'sub-message-top'; subMessage.class = 'panel panel-default'; subMessage.style.backgroundColor = '#eee'; subMessage.style.borderRadius = '5px'; subMessage.style.padding = '10px'; subMessage.style.marginTop = '25px'; subMessage.style.marginBottom = '25px'; subMessage.innerHTML = '
Support local journalism.
Subscribe Today'; var element = document.getElementById("sub_message"); element.appendChild(subMessage); console.log("Code Loaded!"); }}
