Thomas Leon McMillan, age 81, passed away on January 27, 2025. Graveside Services will be held at 2:00 PM, Monday, February 3, 2025 at Pleasant Valley Cemetery. There will be no prior visitation. Arrangements are under the direction of Heartland Funeral Home in Early.
Thomas (also called Lee by friends and family) was born August 26, 1943, in Indianapolis, Indian to Forest Leon McMillan and Rose Marie (Schilling) McMillan. Siblings were one sister, Ruth Jones, and two brothers, Jack McMillan and wife Carol, and Jerry McMillan (deceased).
After graduating from school, Thomas joined the military and spent 23 years as a Staff Sargent before retiring. He then worked for the prison system for 10 years before retiring from there.
He met Murselle Coker one day while he was working at a convenience store, and she came in wearing a wet, dirty tee-shirt. He later said he was afraid some lucky farmer barely let her come into to for a few minutes! Murselle said she should have been warned he would want her to continue working like that. Anyways she was single and they married soon enough. He got to know her son, Nathan Reagor who he viewed as a son; Nathan’s sons, Tommy, Andy, and Matthew as his valued grandsons. In time, along came his precious great-grandchildren, Sarah and Haley, and Riley.
Thomas fulfilled his life’s dream of being a soldier. He had two tours in Vietnam, where he was wounded. He was awarded the Purple Heart/Good Conduct Medal w/Bronze, 5 Loops), National Defense Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon (Numeral 1), Vietnam Service Medal (w/one Bronze Service Star), Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge and NCO Professional Development Ribbon (Numeral 1).
A very special part of his life was worshiping individually and with friends at Salt Creek Baptist Church, and later, First Baptist Church in Bangs. He was good friends with the heavenly Father.
His other loves were fishing with his friend J.D., his beloved cat, Tessie, and the person we call family: his caregiver, Pascual Ramos, who we would have been lost without.
