Former State Representative Millie Humphreys of Saint Joseph has died. She passed away yesterday at a local healthcare facility. She was 89.
Mildred Humphreys was elected to the House of Representatives seat left vacant by the death of her husband Roy in 1985. She served for 10 years. Services will be Friday morning at 10 at Ashland United Methodist Church.
Her obituary is here:
Mildred “Millie” Marie Anderson Humphreys, 89, St. Joseph, Missouri died Tuesday, May 27, 2014 at a local healthcare facility.
She was born September 17, 1924 to Arthur W. and Ellen Marie (Walstead) Anderson on the Anderson Farms in Forman, North Dakota.
Millie attended the University of North Dakota, she deferred college to become a World War II bride. She married her college sweetheart, 2nd Lt. Roy L. Humphreys, Jr., U.S. Army in 1943. While Roy was deployed to Europe, Millie attended the University of Minnesota and finished her B.S. degree at North Dakota State University.
Roy became a F.B.I agent stationed in St. Joseph from 1954 to 1976. She stayed at home for 18 years caring for their children. When the oldest enrolled in college and the youngest was in first grade, Millie started teaching. She taught in Easton, Missouri for 1 ½ years and at Benton High School, St. Joseph for 14 ½ years.
Mr. Humphreys served for the State Legislature for 6 years. After his passing, Mrs. Humphreys ran for and was elected to his vacant seat with the State Legislature and served for 10 years, 1985 to 1995. Millie considered this a privilege and also a civic responsibility.
She had a love for learning and especially enjoyed traveling and studying those countries and states she visited. Millie had been to all 50 states and all of the world’s continents, except Antarctica. She also attended language schools in Mexico, France and Sweden.
As a Rotarian who loved to travel, Millie carried the Rotary Banner with her and took it to numerous Rotary Clubs in the foreign countries she visited.
She loved to travel by train and took the Trans-Canadian from the Pacific to the Atlantic saying, “Yes, it takes longer, but it’s like a continuing National Geographic pictorial.” She wrote about her travels and they were featured in local newspapers.
She enjoyed party bridge, but liked the challenge of duplicate bridge and was a member of a bridge group.
Mostly, she loved her family and enjoyed hosting family dinners. She was proud of her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren and showed her support by attending school functions and numerous sporting events, baseball, basketball, soccer, volleyball, football, golf, and swimming.
She loved her late husband, her children and their spouses, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, the Lord and also extended family and friends.
Millie was a member of Ashland United Methodist Church, Downtown Rotary Club, Runcie Club, Moila Club, and Ambassadors MWSU. She was a Past President of Eugene Field PTA, Past President of Central High School PTA, Past member of St. Joseph Country Club, and a past member of the Chamber of Commerce.
She was preceded in death by her husband; parents; sister, Eleanor Aarestad (Erwin); brother, Gordon Anderson (Melodie); and daughter-in-law, Ann Humphreys.
Survivors: five children; Roy Humphreys III (Jane), Guy Humphreys, Ellen Humphreys Zillner (Tom), William Humphreys, M.D. (Cindy) and Daniel Humphreys (Mechele); eight grandchildren, Margaret, Jake, Kate, Meredith, Tayler, Betsy, Claire and Scott; three great-grandchildren, Elizabeth, Hudson, and Thomas; seven step-grandchildren; seven step-great-grandchildren; brother Charles Anderson, sister, Myrna Newland, M.D. and brother-in-law, James Newland, M.D.; numerous nieces and nephews; and numerous extended family members.
Services: 10:00 A.M. Friday, Ashland United Methodist Church. Interment Memorial Park Cemetery. The Family will receive friends 4:30 to 6:30 P.M. Thursday, Meierhoffer Funeral Home & Crematory, where friends may call after 2:00 P.M. Thursday. In lieu of flowers the family suggests the charity of their choice. Mrs. Humphreys will be removed from Meierhoffer Funeral Home & Crematory to arrive at the church one hour prior to the service. Online guest book and obituary here.