Joe Pat Mills, of Kosse, 86, passed away on Tuesday, October 25, 2016, following a long battle with Parkinson’s disease. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m., Wednesday, October 26, 2016, in the Groesbeck Funeral Home Chapel. Funeral services will be at 2 p.m., Thursday, October 27, 2016, at the First Baptist Church in Kosse. Reverend Jack Wren (First Baptist Church of Kosse), Chaplain Jon Honea (Limestone Medical Center), and Reverend William Wright (First Christian Church of Marlin) will be officiating the service, and music will be provided by Dee and Don Unsell. Burial will follow in Kosse Cemetery.
Joe Pat was born in Box Church, Texas, to the late Charles Alphus Mills and Ila (Wilson) Mills. He grew up in Kosse and graduated from Kosse High School. Joe Pat went to work at age eleven at the Swingler’s Grocery, were he worked through his high school years. Mr. Ross Swingler was an alternate father to him, since his own father died two months before he was born and Joe Pat was very close with the entire Swingler family.
Joe Pat was united in marriage with Helen Hammitt in 1951, and to this union were born two children, Charles and Pamela Ann. During this marriage, he served in the U.S. Army, from 1951 until 1953, attaining the rank of Corporal. He was stationed in Bamburg, Germany, during the reconstruction after World War II, and loved Germany and spoke well of the people he met there. His life was touched by the devastation from the Holocaust and this gave him a deep appreciation for life.
He attended Pan American University after his military service and began working for Haliburton. He transitioned to Sun Oil and Gas Company, where he worked for the next 38 years. Joe Pat became Vice-President of Engineering in the Southwest United States for his company. During all those years, the family packed up and moved with him to job locations between Texas and Oklahoma. His wife, Helen passed away on March 8, 1980.
Joe Pat married again, this time to Shirley Walcher on November 18, 1980, and two sons were added to the family, Mark and Mike Luckie. He retired in 1987. While living in Buffalo, Oklahoma, he renovated a "Sears Roebuck Catalog house" for himself and Shirley. Joe Pat also did volunteer work at the Seeger Funeral Home there. He and Shirley remained in Buffalo until she passed away in June 2000. Joe Pat moved back to Baytown, Texas, later that year.
Joe Pat and Sue Funderburk, whose families have remained close friends all their life, were married on June 3, 2001. Their marriage also became a reunion between all the children. Joe Pat added three more children to his family. While living in Baytown they had planned to move back to Kosse, but a hurricane evacuation sped that up. Joe Pat began renovation of an older farm house when he and Sue moved to Kosse. He worked on their home until his health declined.
Joe Pat grew up in the Church of Christ of Kosse, and he was a member of the First Baptist Church of Kosse, and in later years has attended the First Christian Church in Marlin.
He was preceded in death by his first wife, Helen Hammitt Mills; his second wife, Shirley Walcher Mills; brothers, Charles Hartley Mills and Warren Mitchell Mills; and son-in-law, Wallace Hampton.
Survivors include his wife of 15 years, Sue Funderburk Mills, of Kosse; several children; grandchildren; great-grandchildren; in-laws; and many friends. I5
Joe Pat was born in Box Church, Texas, to the late Charles Alphus Mills and Ila (Wilson) Mills. He grew up in Kosse and graduated from Kosse High School. Joe Pat went to work at age eleven at the Swingler’s Grocery, were he worked through his high school years. Mr. Ross Swingler was an alternate father to him, since his own father died two months before he was born and Joe Pat was very close with the entire Swingler family.
Joe Pat was united in marriage with Helen Hammitt in 1951, and to this union were born two children, Charles and Pamela Ann. During this marriage, he served in the U.S. Army, from 1951 until 1953, attaining the rank of Corporal. He was stationed in Bamburg, Germany, during the reconstruction after World War II, and loved Germany and spoke well of the people he met there. His life was touched by the devastation from the Holocaust and this gave him a deep appreciation for life.
He attended Pan American University after his military service and began working for Haliburton. He transitioned to Sun Oil and Gas Company, where he worked for the next 38 years. Joe Pat became Vice-President of Engineering in the Southwest United States for his company. During all those years, the family packed up and moved with him to job locations between Texas and Oklahoma. His wife, Helen passed away on March 8, 1980.
Joe Pat married again, this time to Shirley Walcher on November 18, 1980, and two sons were added to the family, Mark and Mike Luckie. He retired in 1987. While living in Buffalo, Oklahoma, he renovated a "Sears Roebuck Catalog house" for himself and Shirley. Joe Pat also did volunteer work at the Seeger Funeral Home there. He and Shirley remained in Buffalo until she passed away in June 2000. Joe Pat moved back to Baytown, Texas, later that year.
Joe Pat and Sue Funderburk, whose families have remained close friends all their life, were married on June 3, 2001. Their marriage also became a reunion between all the children. Joe Pat added three more children to his family. While living in Baytown they had planned to move back to Kosse, but a hurricane evacuation sped that up. Joe Pat began renovation of an older farm house when he and Sue moved to Kosse. He worked on their home until his health declined.
Joe Pat grew up in the Church of Christ of Kosse, and he was a member of the First Baptist Church of Kosse, and in later years has attended the First Christian Church in Marlin.
He was preceded in death by his first wife, Helen Hammitt Mills; his second wife, Shirley Walcher Mills; brothers, Charles Hartley Mills and Warren Mitchell Mills; and son-in-law, Wallace Hampton.
Survivors include his wife of 15 years, Sue Funderburk Mills, of Kosse; several children; grandchildren; great-grandchildren; in-laws; and many friends. I5
Joe Pat Mills, of Kosse, 86, passed away on Tuesday, October 25, 2016, following a long battle with Parkinson’s disease. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m., Wednesday, October 26, 2016, in the Groesbeck Funeral Home Chapel. Funeral services will be at 2 p.m., Thursday, October 27, 2016, at the First Baptist Church in Kosse. Reverend Jack Wren (First Baptist Church of Kosse), Chaplain Jon Honea (Limestone Medical Center), and Reverend William Wright (First Christian Church of Marlin) will be officiating the service, and music will be provided by Dee and Don Unsell. Burial will follow in Kosse Cemetery.
Joe Pat was born in Box Church, Texas, to the late Charles Alphus Mills and Ila (Wilson) Mills. He grew up in Kosse and graduated from Kosse High School. Joe Pat went to work at age eleven at the Swingler’s Grocery, were he worked through his high school years. Mr. Ross Swingler was an alternate father to him, since his own father died two months before he was born and Joe Pat was very close with the entire Swingler family.
Joe Pat was united in marriage with Helen Hammitt in 1951, and to this union were born two children, Charles and Pamela Ann. During this marriage, he served in the U.S. Army, from 1951 until 1953, attaining the rank of Corporal. He was stationed in Bamburg, Germany, during the reconstruction after World War II, and loved Germany and spoke well of the people he met there. His life was touched by the devastation from the Holocaust and this gave him a deep appreciation for life.
He attended Pan American University after his military service and began working for Haliburton. He transitioned to Sun Oil and Gas Company, where he worked for the next 38 years. Joe Pat became Vice-President of Engineering in the Southwest United States for his company. During all those years, the family packed up and moved with him to job locations between Texas and Oklahoma. His wife, Helen passed away on March 8, 1980.
Joe Pat married again, this time to Shirley Walcher on November 18, 1980, and two sons were added to the family, Mark and Mike Luckie. He retired in 1987. While living in Buffalo, Oklahoma, he renovated a "Sears Roebuck Catalog house" for himself and Shirley. Joe Pat also did volunteer work at the Seeger Funeral Home there. He and Shirley remained in Buffalo until she passed away in June 2000. Joe Pat moved back to Baytown, Texas, later that year.
Joe Pat and Sue Funderburk, whose families have remained close friends all their life, were married on June 3, 2001. Their marriage also became a reunion between all the children. Joe Pat added three more children to his family. While living in Baytown they had planned to move back to Kosse, but a hurricane evacuation sped that up. Joe Pat began renovation of an older farm house when he and Sue moved to Kosse. He worked on their home until his health declined.
Joe Pat grew up in the Church of Christ of Kosse, and he was a member of the First Baptist Church of Kosse, and in later years has attended the First Christian Church in Marlin.
He was preceded in death by his first wife, Helen Hammitt Mills; his second wife, Shirley Walcher Mills; brothers, Charles Hartley Mills and Warren Mitchell Mills; and son-in-law, Wallace Hampton.
Survivors include his wife of 15 years, Sue Funderburk Mills, of Kosse; several children; grandchildren; great-grandchildren; in-laws; and many friends. I5
Joe Pat was born in Box Church, Texas, to the late Charles Alphus Mills and Ila (Wilson) Mills. He grew up in Kosse and graduated from Kosse High School. Joe Pat went to work at age eleven at the Swingler’s Grocery, were he worked through his high school years. Mr. Ross Swingler was an alternate father to him, since his own father died two months before he was born and Joe Pat was very close with the entire Swingler family.
Joe Pat was united in marriage with Helen Hammitt in 1951, and to this union were born two children, Charles and Pamela Ann. During this marriage, he served in the U.S. Army, from 1951 until 1953, attaining the rank of Corporal. He was stationed in Bamburg, Germany, during the reconstruction after World War II, and loved Germany and spoke well of the people he met there. His life was touched by the devastation from the Holocaust and this gave him a deep appreciation for life.
He attended Pan American University after his military service and began working for Haliburton. He transitioned to Sun Oil and Gas Company, where he worked for the next 38 years. Joe Pat became Vice-President of Engineering in the Southwest United States for his company. During all those years, the family packed up and moved with him to job locations between Texas and Oklahoma. His wife, Helen passed away on March 8, 1980.
Joe Pat married again, this time to Shirley Walcher on November 18, 1980, and two sons were added to the family, Mark and Mike Luckie. He retired in 1987. While living in Buffalo, Oklahoma, he renovated a "Sears Roebuck Catalog house" for himself and Shirley. Joe Pat also did volunteer work at the Seeger Funeral Home there. He and Shirley remained in Buffalo until she passed away in June 2000. Joe Pat moved back to Baytown, Texas, later that year.
Joe Pat and Sue Funderburk, whose families have remained close friends all their life, were married on June 3, 2001. Their marriage also became a reunion between all the children. Joe Pat added three more children to his family. While living in Baytown they had planned to move back to Kosse, but a hurricane evacuation sped that up. Joe Pat began renovation of an older farm house when he and Sue moved to Kosse. He worked on their home until his health declined.
Joe Pat grew up in the Church of Christ of Kosse, and he was a member of the First Baptist Church of Kosse, and in later years has attended the First Christian Church in Marlin.
He was preceded in death by his first wife, Helen Hammitt Mills; his second wife, Shirley Walcher Mills; brothers, Charles Hartley Mills and Warren Mitchell Mills; and son-in-law, Wallace Hampton.
Survivors include his wife of 15 years, Sue Funderburk Mills, of Kosse; several children; grandchildren; great-grandchildren; in-laws; and many friends. I5
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