Former Publisher's Funeral Slated at Sweetwater Today

Sweetwater, Oct. 13 - Funeral for John W. Millsapps, 79, former publisher of the Sweetwater Reporter, was set for 4 p.m. Wednesday at the local First Baptist Church.

Officiating were to be the Rev. George R. Wilson, First Baptist pastor; the Rev. Richard Chilton, First Christian Church pastor; and the Rev. Harnest, First Presbyterian Church pastor.

Burial in Sweetwater Cemetery was to be directed by Cate-Spencer Funeral Home.

Mr. Millsapps died at 11:15 a.m. Tuesday in Shannon Hospital at San Angelo. He had been critically ill since being stricken during the Labor Day weekend while visiting relatives in San Angelo.

He published the Sweetwater Reporter from 1904 until 1924. Afterward he operated a commercial printing shop. For the past 10 years he farmed and ranched.

Mr. Millsapps was born May 19, 1875, in Wood County. He moved in 1890 with his parents to Fisher County.

A graduate of Roby High School, he began his newspaper career in the mechanical department of the Roby Banner.

At Roby, he was choir director and organist of the Baptist Church.

He was Sunday School superintendent and choir director at the Sweetwater First Baptist Church for several years and was active in the Elks Lodge.

Survivors include five sisters, Mrs. Zelda Heath of San Angelo, Mrs. Alice Weakley of Post, Mrs. Carrie McCaulley, Mrs. Ruth Ingram and Mrs. Stella Fitzgerald, all of Sweetwater; and a brother, W.K. Millsaps of Henrietta.

From THE ABILENE (TX) REPORTER (Wed. Evening, 10/13/1954, Page 1)
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TOM GREEN COUNTY DEATH CERTIFICATE

name: John Millsapps
death date: 12 Oct 1954
death place: Shannon Hospital, San Angelo, Tom Green, Texas
cause of death: Cerebral arteriosclerosis
gender: Male
race: White
death age: 79 years 4 months 23 days
estimated birth date: 1875
birth date: 19 May 1875
birthplace: Wood County, Texas
marital status: Never married
spouse's name:
father's name: Coleman J. Millsapps
father's birthplace: Miss.
mother's name: Mary Jane Lloyd
mother's birthplace: Ala.
occupation: Retired newspaper publisher
place of residence: Sweetwater, Nolan, Texas
cemetery: Sweetwater
burial place: Sweetwater, Texas
burial date: 12 Oct 1954
additional relatives/informant: Ruth Ingram [sister]
film number: 2114282
digital film number: 4165612
image number: 3288
reference number: cn 52178
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