Billie Earl Mills August 12, 1926 - May 17, 2015 Billie Earl Mills of Waco passed away Sunday, May 17, 2015, at Sodalis Elder Living. Services will be 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, May 20, at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey Chapel with the Rev. Randy Hughes and Rev. Marvin Thompson officiating. Burial will follow at Waco Memorial Park. Visitation will be 6-8 p.m., Tuesday, May 19, at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey Garden Room. Billie was born August 12, 1926, in Big Hill, Texas, to William and Ocy Mills. He attended schools at Ben Hur and Reagan, Texas. He was a member of the U.S. Coast Guard and was a veteran of WWII, serving in Okinawa and Philippines. Billie Earl re-enlisted and served on lighthouses in Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas, with the Coast Guard. He married Bobbie Jean Powers on January 10, 1948, in Mart, Texas, and moved to Waco in 1951. He was employed by Central Freight Lines for 37 years as a downtown driver and dispatcher, retiring in 1989. Billie was an active member and deacon of Emmanuel Baptist Church, and a life member of V.F.W. Post #2983. He was preceded in death by his mother and step-father, Lorene and Dick Atwood; father and step-mother, Jack and Ella Merle Mills; son, Billy Jack Mills; and one sister, Betty Jean Van Cleve. He is survived by his wife, Bobbie Jean Mills; three sons, Barry Koehne and wife, Robin, Doug Mills and wife, Valeria and Keith Mills and wife, Robyn; daughter-in-law, Janice Mills; nine grandchildren, Larry Philbrick, Keri Dietz, Justin Mills, Jodi Browning, Amber Sheehan, C.D. Mills, Megan Mills Price, Colt Mills and Austin Mills; and 11 great grandchildren and one expected in July. Pallbearers are Larry Philbrick, Justin Mills, Colt Mills, Austin Mills, Robert Sheehan, Mark Price and Bill Browning. Memorials may be made to Emmanuel Baptist Church. The family invites you to leave a message or memory in our "Memorial Guestbook" at www.WHBfamily.com.
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