Minnie Mills Enking was born November 4, 1921, the daughter of Absolom and Ruth Stevens Schoop and step daughter of Fay Mills, Sr. She was a 1941 graduate of Beloit High School, attended Beloit College and the University of Wisconsin. During the war years of 1943 to 1944 she was a reporter for the Corsicana (Texas) Daily Sun, following earlier employment with the Beloit Public Library and Beloit Daily News. Through involvement in aviation news and information services she became a charter member of the Inter-national Society of Aviation Writers and later a continuing member in AWA, the Aviation Space Writers Association. She was twice a winner of Trans World Airlines annual journalism award.

During World War II, Mrs. Enking served as a flight clearance officer for the Civil Aeronautics Administration. During the defense crises of the 1960’s, she was a member of the Ground Observer Corps. A long-time member of the Daily News staff, Mrs. Enking was a member of the Beloit Daily News Quarter Century Club. She retired from full-time employment in June of 1990. Her other affiliations included board of director membership of the Beloit Public Library and the Beloit Historical Society. She was a  member of the Rock County Historical Society and the Women’s Division of the Chamber of Commerce.

Recently she served on the Beloit School District facilities study committee. She was a charter member of the Beloit Animal Welfare Society, which provided the city’s first permanent humane care facility. Minnie Mills Enking 69, died December 28, 1990, in St. Clare Hospital, Monroe, after a short illness. Survivors include her husband, James of Beloit; one daughter, Teresa Enking Novak of Oshkosh, one grandson Aaron J. Novak of Oshkosh, one brother Fay Mills, Jr. of North Carolina and nieces and nephews. Funeral services were held from the Rosman-Uehling-Kinzer Chapel with the Rev. Dr. Douglas Dowling of the First United Methodist Church officiating. Burial was in Calvary Cemetery.