Joe Pat Mills

Joe Pat Mills, of Kosse, went to meet his savior on Tuesday, October 25, 2016, at age 86, following a long battle with Parkinson’s disease. Visitation will be Wednesday, October 26, 2016, from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. in the Groesbeck Funeral Home Chapel. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 P.M. on 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 at the Kosse City Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Charlie Mills, Joe Wayne Mills, Ronnie Funderburk, Ronnie Pettigrew, Randy Funderburk, Brandon Funderburk, Kendall Funderburk, and Chance Funderburk. Honorary pallbearers will be Austin McCarver, Spencer Lammons, Jeremy Erskine, and Cecil Lyon. Joe Pat was born on September 8, 1930 to Charles Alphus Mills and Ila (Wilson) Mills at Box Church. He grew up in Kosse and graduated from Kosse High School. He went to work at age eleven at the Swingler’s Grocery, were he worked there 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 WWII, 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 thirty-eight 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 March 8, 1980. Joe Pat was united a second time in marriage with 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, OK., he renovated a “Sears Roebuck Catalog house” for him 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 united in marriage 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. Mr. Mills was preceded in death by his parents; his first wife, Helen Hammitt Mills and his second wife, Shirley Walcher Mills; brothers, Charles Hartley Mills and Warren Mitchell Mills; and son-in-law, Wallace Hampton. He is survived by his wife of fifteen years, Sue Funderburk Mills of Kosse; Charles Arlon and Barbara Mills (son and daughter-in-law); Pamela Ann Hampton (daughter)of Oklahoma City, OK.; Ronnie and Jennifer Funderburk (son and daughter-in-law); Randy Lynn and Misty Funderburk (son and daughter-in-law); Robbie and Ronnie Pettigrew (daughter and son-in-law); Mark and Terrie Mark Luckie (son and daughter-in-law) of Ashland, Kansas; and Mike and Roxie Luckie (son and daughter-in-law)of Rosston, OK. He is also survived by fourteen grandchildren and their spouses: Joe Wayne Mills, Brianna Forsyth, Janie Mills, Jake Ellis, Kendall Funderburk, Jessica Funderburk, Brandon Funderburk, Kaitlyn Pettigrew, Chelsea Watson, Chance Funderburk, Jessie Luckie, Ryan Luckie, Shawn Luckie, and Sherrie Luckie; and fifteen great grandchildren. He is also survived by Bill and Darlene Swingler (brother-in-law and sister-in-law)and a host of friends.