Obituary: Colleen Mills

* Colleen Mills. Athlete. Mayoress of Auckland 1990-98. Died aged 71

Colleen Mills left perhaps her biggest legacy as an advocate for health and fitness, especially among women and children.

She grew up in West Auckland and was an active member of the Owairaka and Western Suburbs Athletic Clubs. She met Les Mills at a Pasadena school reunion dance in 1950 and later married the aspiring Olympic athlete and eventual Auckland Mayor.

Mills won the national title of women's 400m champion in 1973 at age 40, and competed in that event at the 1974 Commonwealth Games. (Also competing were daughter Donna in the high jump and son Phillip in hurdles.)

She went on to compete in four World Masters championships, winning nine titles and setting three world age group records. She also had a lifetime love of basketball, and with a group of friends formed and played for the Athletic team for 40 years.

Mills' involvement in athletics led to her appointment as President of Athletics New Zealand from 1997-98 and to the board of the Hillary Commission throughout the early 1990s.

She worked closely with Les managing the gym business they started in 1968, and pioneered women's involvement in gyms through the creation and management of a women-only facility within the Auckland gym.

She helped ignite the national jazzercise craze that Phillip introduced to New Zealand in the early 1980s, contributing especially through choreography development and instructor training.

Mills was active as Mayoress of Auckland during her husband's tenure from 1990 to 1998, initiating projects such as the annual Mayoress Mothers' Luncheon and forming friendships within every ethnic community.

She particularly enjoyed her involvement with the Salvation Army Faith Factory in Henderson, teaching life skills such as jam making, bottling and baking.

Mills was a board member of Variety - The Children's Charity, Avondale College and the Foundation for Alcohol and Drug Education, impressing many with her contacts and her ability to inspire others.

Mills died after a battle with melanoma. She is survived by Les, their children Phillip and Donna and grandchildren Gabriel, Moana, Les and Diana.