He was the son of Robert and Addie Florence Burris Mills. He attended school in Caddo where he had exceptional math skills that would stay with him throughout his life. He sang tenor in the school choir and would earn medals in vocal music contests. As a child the family lived on a farm, working in the fields and working the livestock. His most enjoyable task was roping. He married Mildred Alford in 1947 in Durant, and then moved to Plano, Texas, where he began working for Phillips Petroleum. He continued to work for them until the company closed in 1963. He then moved to Borger, Texas, where he worked as a route truck driver for J. C. Potter Sausage. He and his wife decided to move back home, and he began working at the fish hatchery in Caddo before moving to McAlester in 1968. He began working in transportation at the United States Army Ammunition Plant, where he later retired. He was a member of the Main and Oklahoma Church of Christ where he was known as "The Candy Man" to children of all ages. He enjoyed children and was a great story teller, joke teller, and prankster. He enjoyed drawing; as a young man he drew various pictures of Old West scenic landscapes and slice-of-life examples of "the cowboy way" for The Western Horseman magazine. His paintings were also on display in a number of McAlester businesses, and on downtown merchants' store windows for the annual Prison Rodeo. Survivors include a very special friend, Carole Clagg, of McAlester; a brother, Theron Mills, Casper, Wyo.; two nephews, Altus Mills and wife, Connie, of McAlester, and Ben Bob Mills, of Hugo, and numerous great-nieces, great-nephews, great-grandnieces, great-grandnephews and a great-great-grandniece, including great-niece, Shelli Armstrong and husband, Don, of McAlester. He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Mildred Mills; a sister, Lucille Hervey, and four brothers, Woodrow Mills, Robert Mills, Push Mills and Altus Mills. Pallbearers will be Randy Walters, Martin Stites, Jim Pratt, Butch Lacrone, Robert Mills and Jarrod Fabry. Honorary pallbearers will be Bill Carlton, Darius Jenkins and Garner Boyd. Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Friday at Main and Oklahoma Church of Christ with Bob Young officiating, assisted by Red Coleman. Graveside services will be at 1 p.m. at Caddo Cemetery. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Bishop Funeral Service of McAlester.
McAlester News Capital
July 16, 2009