Vera Mae Mills

Vera passed away Sunday, November 15, at Hendrick Medical Center Hospice Care, Abilene, Texas. She was a resident of Wesley Court Retirement Home in Abilene. Vera was born August 27, 1916, in Dallas, Texas, to parents, Ray and Roxie Lanphear. She was a member of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Abilene, Texas. A celebration of her life will be Wednesday, November 18, with burial at 2 p.m. at Elmwood Memorial Park followed by the memorial celebration at 3 p.m. at Hamil Family Funeral Home, 6449 Buffalo Gap Road. Vera's zest for life, human compassion, laughter and smiles were contagious to all who knew her. Vera graduated from Sunset High School in Dallas, Texas in 1934. She married Lynn Johnson in Houston, Texas, in 1935 and moved to San Angelo, Texas, where her first daughter, Lynette, was born. She then moved to Fort Worth, Texas, where her second daughter, Nancy, was born. They left Fort Worth in 1948 and moved to Stamford, Texas, where they bought a Western Auto Store which they managed until Mr. Johnson's death in 1959. Vera moved to Abilene and worked for Bible Hardware as secretary/bookkeeper, then West Texas Utilities in the insurance/safety department. She married Jack Mills in 1970 and moved back to Stamford until Mr. Mills' death in 1995. During her life in Stamford, she served as president and treasurer of Stamford Hospital Auxiliary; served as president of Stamford Garden Club; treasurer for the District Vlll-Texas Garden Club. She was also one of the founders of the VIP Community Center serving on the project council. She worked as coordinator with the Main Street Program and was one of the people instrumental in starting the Thrift Store in downtown Stamford for proceeds going to fund the Stamford Hospital. She served on the Cowboy Country Museum Board and the Stamford Country Club Board, the United Way and cancer drives. She was very active in First Baptist Church. She was an avid golfer in Stamford and was voted Stamford's Woman of the Year in 1979. In Abilene, Vera served as a volunteer at Abilene Regional Hospital and the Presbyterian Medical Care Mission for several years. Survivors are daughters, Lynette Coody and husband, Charles, and Nancy Williamson, both of Abilene; granddaughters, Caryn Coody Hill and husband, James; Kristyn Coody Aguero and husband, Felipe, all of Lubbock, Texas; granddaughter, Wendi Williamson White, of Johnson City, Tennessee; grandson, Kyle Coody, and wife, Debbie, of Plano, Texas; four great granddaughters, Brittany Hill Holmes and husband, Jonathan, of Plano, Texas; Cayle Hill, Emey Aguero and Elley Aguero all of Lubbock, Texas. Three great grandsons, Kyle Hill of Lubbock, Texas, and Parker and Pierceson Coody of Plano, Texas; one great-great grandson, Elijah Aguero of Lubbock, Texas. She is also survived by two nephews and a niece. Vera was preceded in death by her parents and her sister, Helen Smith, of Conroe, Texas. Pallbearers will be Kyle Coody, James Hill, Felipe Aguero, Kyle Hill, Parker and Pierceson Coody, Jonathan Holmes, Leroy Stearns, and Gary Decker. Memorials may be made to Hendrick Hospice Care, Abilene, Texas or Presbyterian Medical Care Mission, Abilene, Texas.