John Mills Jr.

John Lee Mills Jr., 77, of Cape Girardeau passed away Wednesday, March 4, 2015, at the Lutheran Home.

He was born Nov. 22, 1937, in St. Louis to the late John Lee and Esther Slezak Mills Sr. He and Shelby Jean Hood were married Dec. 23, 1961, in Cape Girardeau. She preceded him in death June 6, 2010.

John was a graduate of Jennings High School and Southeast Missouri State University, where he played baseball and was a member of Sigma Chi fraternity. He then obtained a master's degree from Washington University. He proudly served in the U.S. Army Reserves.

John taught and coached at Fairview High School five years and worked at McGraw Hill and Sam Tanksley Trucking. He was a gifted singer and started Riverside Recording Studio. Other than his love for singing, he was an aviation enthusiast, a sky diver and a member of First General Baptist Church and American Legion Post 3838 in Cape Girardeau.

Survivors include two sons, Craig and Shannon Mills of Cape Girardeau; a daughter, Stacey (Ross) Marshall of Valparaiso, Indiana; a sister, Jo Ann Barban of Ferguson, Missouri; three grandchildren, Clayton, Blake and Adam Marshall; nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents and wife.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home, with the Rev. Donny Ford officiating. Entombment with full military rites will be in Cape County Memorial Park Mausoleum.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be given to the American Cancer Society.

Online condolences may be shared at fordandsonsfuneralhome.com.