Las Vegas woman was among crew members

Thursday, Feb. 3, 2000 | 9:11 a.m.

A 26-year-old Las Vegas woman who "cherished her job" as a flight attendant was among the crew members on ill-fated Alaska Airlines Flight 261.

Kristin Mills was among the 88 people who perished when the MD-83 aircraft plunged into the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Southern California on Monday afternoon.

"She cherished her job, loved absolutely everything about it," her father-in-law, Jack Mills, said Tuesday night. "She was always happy, and she was one of those people you always loved to be around. A wonderful, happy, beautiful person."

Kristin Mills was based in Seattle, but maintained a home in Las Vegas with her husband, David. The two were married three years ago.

"The whole thing has been terrible," Jack Mills told a Las Vegas newspaper. The family had waited anxiously since David Mills learned Monday afternoon that his wife was on the aircraft, hoping for the possibility of survivors from the crash. By Tuesday night the grim reality had set in that no one survived the crash.

Jack Mills said he received a call from his son Monday afternoon telling him about the Alaska Airlines crash. He didn't know at the time it was his wife's flight.

A short time later, the airline called and informed David Mills his wife's plane was missing.

Jack Mills said his son then called him, "screaming for someone to come over."

David Mills flew to Seattle Tuesday to console his wife's family, most of whom live in that area.

Kristin Mills began her airline career with Reno Air, joining Alaska Airlines in May, an airline spokeswoman said.

"She was just wonderful. She was always the one who would bring up your day, not bring it down. She never complained," said Rachael Browner, a former co-worker at Reno-Tahoe International Airport.

"It is difficult to imagine the trauma they went through. It is sad," said Scottie Vinson, another former co-worker.

Neighbors in the northwest Las Vegas neighborhood where the couple lived described the victim as a caring and friendly woman.