Mildred Mary (Krug) Counts

Mildred Mary (Krug) Counts, Millie to all who knew and loved her, passed peacefully on March 7, 2026 at home in Gainesville, Virginia at the age of 86 after a ten-year battle with Parkinson’s Disease. Fittingly, Millie was surrounded by the family that she cherished and loved. Millie was born on October 23, 1939 in the Bronx, New York to Mildred and William Krug. They were joined three years later by her younger sister Patricia (Pat). She and Pat, enjoyed the varied, colorful upbringing in New York City. Millie graduated from Saint Barnabas High School in 1957 and then proceeded to Katherine Gibbs Finishing School and English studies at Fordham University. Millie met her future husband, Edward (Todd) Counts while on a blind double-date. Todd was a cadet at the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. Despite their disparate upbringings, Millie a city girl, Todd a country boy from the “hollers” of Virginia, they quickly fell in love. They were married in West Point’s Catholic Chapel in December following Todd’s graduation. Their first Thanksgiving Day together, Millie gave birth to their daughter, Dawn. On the very next Thanksgiving Day there was a repeat performance; their son, Drew was born. Christy was the final addition born seven years later. This was the beginning of their 64-year union. Millie was the consummate military wife demonstrating the resilience, agility and tenacity needed to pull the family together when Todd was regularly in the field or deployed overseas. She provided love and stability for the family at all times but especially while Todd was away. She began a twenty-plus year professional career as a Federal Civil Servant once all three children were in school. During that time, she took great pride in the fact that she served in editorial and administrative positions with the Army, Air Force and Navy. This included editorial assistant for the Office of the Dean of Academics, West Point; Chief Administrative Officer for the Department of Operations Research, West Point. And after Todd retired, somewhat ironically, they moved to Annapolis, MD, where she served as editorial assistant for the Naval Academy Superintendent’s Office. There she managed, among other things, the congressional inquiries for the Naval Academy. (Go Army, Beat Navy). Millie’s greatest loves in life were family, God, friends, and travel. She learned these attributes from her parents both as a child and as an adult. Following the example set by her parents, who enjoyed spending summers with family at the Jersey Shore, Millie was an amazing and welcoming host. Colorado, West Point, and Italy were her favorite places to welcome people. The houses were always filled (often to the point of bursting) with friends and family. Their West Point tailgates were legendary. Millie is survived by Todd; her sister Patricia Dwyer (Gerry); her brother-in-law Harold Counts; her three children Dawn (Counts) Panny, Drew Counts (Julie), and Christy (Counts) Finn (Michael); and her eight grandchildren CAPT Lauren Panny, Samantha (Panny) Aquilino (Zach), Sydney Panny, Cole Counts, 1LT David Counts, Sadie Finn, and Matt Finn. While three generations of Counts have inherited Millie and Todd’s love of adventure and travel and are spread throughout the country, they will be poignantly travelling to Virgina to celebrate the life of their beloved, intrepid wife, mother, grandmother, and sister. Services are as follows: A visitation will be held from 6pm to 8pm this Thursday, March 12, 2026 at Pierce Funeral Home, 9609 Center Street, Manassas, VA 20110 Catholic Mass will be the next day, Friday, March 13, 2026 at 10 AM at the St Katharine Drexel Mission, 15000 Waterfall Road, Haymarket, VA 20169. A private burial will be at Arlington National Cemetery on a date to be determined. Condolences may be sent to The Counts Family, 6277 Settlers Trail Place, Gainesville, VA 20155. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations in Millie’s memory be sent to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, PO Box 5014, Hagerstown, MD 21741. https://www.michaeljfox.org

Mildred Mary (Krug) Counts

October 23, 1939 - March 7, 2026