Bobbie Neal McMillan of Brownwood was surrounded by his family when he went to be with the Lord on October 27 after a long fight with heart disease and atherosclerosis. Funeral services are scheduled for 2:00pm Saturday October 31, 2009 at Brownwood First Baptist Church; 208 Austin Avenue in Brownwood, Texas; burial will follow at Greenleaf Cemetery. Visitation is set for Friday October 30, 2009 at Davis-Morris Funeral Home, from 5-7pm.
Bob lived in Brownwood for 45 years and was a long time member of the First Baptist Church in Brownwood.
He was born on a farm near Levelland , Texas on April 10, 1927 to Heck MacNeil McMillan and Aubra Richards McMillan. His parents moved to Hockley County Texas to homestead in 1924 and were among the first settlers in that area.
He is preceded in death by his parents, by his elder brother, Hector Leo McMillan of Levelland and his older sister Jean McMillan Bailey, also of Levelland.
In 1945 Bob married Bette Ruth Hill. She survives him along with their four children: Ron McMillan and wife Sally of Houston, Texas, Mike McMillan and his wife Jo Anna of Marietta, Georgia, Craig McMillan and his wife Trisha of Locker – Richland Springs, Texas, and Marsha McMillan Irons of Midland, Texas. He has 11 Grandchildren: Christina McMillan of Ft. Worth Texas, John and Jesse McMillan of Houston, Ashlie McMillan Kerr and husband Andrew Kerr of Nashville, Tennessee, Brandt McMillan and his wife Elizabeth of Nashville, Tennessee, Buffy McMillan Simpson and husband Jimmy of Brownwood, Judson Bob McMillan of Dallas, Neal and Marsha Marie McMillan of Richland Springs, Kate Irons Dorff and husband John of Dallas, Texas and Abbye Irons of Midland, Texas. He has three great grandchildren: Presley Morris of Ft. Worth , Wallace and Emory Kerr of Nashville .
Mr. McMillan is also survived by his younger brother Jerry McMillan of Lubbock and his younger sister Mary (Mrs. Marvin “Doc” Baker) of Weatherford , Texas .
Bob attended Levelland High School, but left before graduation to serve in the U.S. Army, seeing duty in Germany at the end of WW II before being discharged as a corporal in 1946. He graduated from Sul Ross University in 1951 and began a career as a teacher and coach, first as an assistant coach at Levelland High School . He coached and taught at Richland Springs High School 1954 – 1957 and 1960 – 1964. He was also a teacher and assistant coach at Whiteface, Texas in 1958 – 1959. When the 3M Company opened its Brownwood plant in 1965, he became one of the first management employees. He enjoyed a long career at 3M working in several managerial capacities before retiring in 1992.
He cherished his years as a teacher and coach. He delighted in following the development of all the young men and women whose lives he influenced and watching them become successful in life.
Bob was a loving husband, father, grandfather, and great grandfather, whose greatest joy was his family. He loved family gatherings more than anything. He was also and avid fisherman and hunter. One of his greatest pleasures was spending days with his family fishing on the Sloan Ranch or Deep Ranch along the San Saba River. He also enjoyed his Crappie fishing trips to Lake Fork with friends from 3M, as well as taking his boat out on Lake Brownwood in search of catfish or white bass.
Perhaps his greatest enjoyment came from watching his kids or grandkids participate in sports or receive some recognition for academic achievement. He loved children and would spend hours teaching them how to fish or helping them with some project that required a lot of patience. He will be sorely missed by all that knew him.
In lieu of flowers the family requests that contributions be made in his name to the First Baptist Church in Brownwood.
