Joe Mills' Obituary
Joe was born December 18, 1933 in Enid, Ok. Joe's father and mother, Ellis and Lois Mills were living in Medford where his sister, Sondra came along some thirteen months later. The family moved to Oklahoma City in 1936 where Joe started school at Cleveland elementary in 1939. In 1943 the family moved to Ardmore, Ok. He attended Lincoln elementary and on Thanksgiving Day, 1947 the family moved to Muskogee where he graduated Central High in 1952. Joe received a BBA degree from the University of Oklahoma in May, 1956 and was commissioned in the U.S. Army through the University ROTC program. While attending OU, Joe was a member of Phi Gamma Delta fraternity. He served two years active duty, October 1956 - October 1958. In early 1959 Joe's family moved from Muskogee to Midland, Texas and he relocated in Tulsa where he began his employment years in 1960 with Manning.
Maxwell & Moore, Inc., later Dresser Industries. In 1963 the District Sales Office moved to Houston and Joe worked in Accounting for Pan American Petroleum until 1966. He then went back to sales with Tulsa Gauge & Instrument Co. serving the Refining and Petro-Chemical industries until 1979 when he was given a field sales territory with Dresser Industries, Instrument Division. February 1, 1992 he retired to follow his life long interest in breeding, raising and racing horses.
Joe and Bobbie were married in the First Baptist Church, Nash, OK. on September 23, 1989. On March 12, 1991, their granddaughter, Stormie Hatten was born. She quickly became a very special part of their lives. Early in their marriage Joe and Bobbie enjoyed several short trips within the states and several cruises. They were members of Gracemont Baptist Church during the years 1992 through 2003.
In 2004 they moved their membership to First Baptist Church in downtown Tulsa.
Joe's love for Horses started very early. The family living in Oklahoma City would travel to Nash to visit grandparents and family. Granddad always had a horse and would take Joe on behind to gather the milk cows a half a mile or so from the barn on wheat pasture. For many years Joe spent most of the summer months with his grandparents and many of those days before he was old enough to drive a tractor were on horseback. Joe owned some horses during the employment years and maintained a keen interest during those years, but following his retirement was when the development of the breeding and raising his own stable began. For a brief time he raised both Quarter Horses and Thoroughbreds but soon reverted to only Quarter Horses. He raced only horses he bred and raised, and all from one mare he bought as a yearling and raced, as well as three of her daughters.
Preceded in death by his mother and father, sister, Sondra Yadon and niece, Kelli Werner. Survivors are; wife Bobbie, granddaughter Stormie, great grandsons, Deigo and Oliver, nephews, David, Rick and Mike Yadon, great nieces, Ashley Spence and Lindsay Brown.
Visitation will be held Wednesday, June 5, 2024 from 5-7 PM at Floral Haven Funeral Home
Funeral service will be held Thursday, June 6, 2024 at 3:00 PM at Floral Haven Funeral Home Chapel
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