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HOLIDAY SPIRIT Medford man keeps late brother's love of Christmas alive — with lights Doug Mills keeps his late brother's love of Christmas alive Comment By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune Follow @@mtcrimebeat MailTribune.com By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune Follow @@mtcrimebeat Posted Dec. 7, 2015 at 2:22 PM Updated Dec 7, 2015 at 5:05 PM By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune Follow @@mtcrimebeat Posted Dec. 7, 2015 at 2:22 PM Updated Dec 7, 2015 at 5:05 PM » Social News Many remember Greg Mills for his devotion to Southern Oregon Sparrow Clubs, his family and the family business, Airport Chevrolet. But his family remembers how much he loved to one-up neighbors, friends and siblings with elaborate holiday light displays at his home. In an act of brotherly love, Doug Mills has adopted Greg's lighting equipment and is continuing his sibling's tradition. Since before Thanksgiving, Doug has devoted his spare time on weekends and evenings to incorporating less-than-common lighting equipment such as a Light-O-Rama — an electronic controller with 16 plugs that synchronizes light strands to Christmas music using a software program on his laptop — along with equipment that broadcasts the music to an FM station spectators can tune into. “Missing him, I feel like I can bring back a part of him,” Doug says. “It’s using his lights and his system.” Doug has three large trees in his front yard well over two stories tall, and he has woven them with LED strands using a large lift from All-in-One Rentals. By December, he'd outfitted his home at 1024 Highbury Drive in Medford with more than a dozen tree-shaped displays, a second Light-O-Rama so his neighbors can synchronize their displays, too, and a custom-printed sign dedicating the display to Greg. “Doug does not like to take credit for things,” says his mother, Janice Mills. “Doug does not do things with an agenda. This is strictly from his heart." Although Doug had decorated his home before, this year's display is by far the most elaborate he's put together, he says. "The neighbor mentioned Greg can see it from heaven," Doug says. The display rekindles a childhood memory for Doug. He recalls cars lining up to see his family's Christmas lights at their home on Highcrest in Medford. “It was really cool. We’d be out there handing out little candy canes,” Doug says. “We thought it was great as kids.” "It was actually visible from town. You could actually see our house," Janice says. "They just covered as much as they could." "I remember Greg driving to get more lights," Janice says. Greg was 5 years older than Doug, and their mother remembers Doug helping Greg compete to outdo her neighbor. She remembers her sons getting soaked in the rain adding strands to the display. "Everything with Greg was a competition," Janice says. Greg's enthusiasm for Christmas lights continued as he grew older. Greg would hire lot attendants from the family's dealership to help him ensure his display stood out. "Greg's was just so, almost obnoxious," Janice says. Greg died of colon cancer Jan. 23, the same day as Doug's birthday, after a three-year battle. “He’s a little brother, and his big brother’s gone,” Janice says. She says Doug always was quieter than his outgoing older brother, but she sees Doug taking on this project as an example of how he's stepped up and out of his brother's shadow since the loss. “It kind of puts a bright spot on a really dark four years,” Janice says. Reach reporter Nick Morgan at 541-776-4471 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @MTCrimeBeat. By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune Follow @@mtcrimebeat MailTribune.com By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune Follow @@mtcrimebeat Posted Dec. 7, 2015 at 2:22 PM Updated Dec 7, 2015 at 5:05 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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