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In memory of
Mildred "Millie" Benton
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Mildred's obituary
Millie was born March 15, 1922 in Bryan County, Georgia to Ida and Rufus Owens. She grew up and was educated in Pembroke, Georgia where she met her husband, Irvin Butler, who was tragically killed a few years later, leaving her a widow with her firstborn child, Lavon.
Just one short year later she met Van, with whom she spent the next 61 years of her life.
Millie never held a job outside the home, but her house and her children were her job. She was the mama that ironed sheets and pillowcases and we never left the house without looking pressed and starched. She loved working in her yard and did so well into her mid 90’s. We used to say that she stood guard at the window waiting for a leaf to fall so the she could run outside and pick it up. This woman was tiny, but loved her sweets including all kinds of junk food but especially Little Debbie cakes. She never met a Debbie cake that she didn’t like. Millie also loved riding around Savannah and visiting cemeteries around Pembroke where all of her loved ones were buried.
She lived a good, long life, relatively pain free until the very end. Her daughters and other family members are convinced she died of sheer loneliness due to her isolation the last two months because of the Covid virus. We are grateful she was able to live in her own home for 58 years, until almost the very end, when it became impossible for her daughters to care for her any longer. Mama, hear us today when we say we love you and we did our absolute best to take care of you to the end and we will miss you to our dying day. We know you and Daddy are already dancing to your favorite song, Johnny B. Goode, and you’re looking around to see who is watching you!!
Millie was also preceded in death by her husband, Van Benton, son, Lavon Butler, sons-in-law, Gerald Stewart and Frank Balcom, Jr., six sisters, two brothers and grandson, Steven Shiver.
She is survived by daughters, Linda Stewart, Margie Shiver (Roland), Donna Plumbley (Gary), nine grandchildren, Vickie Bacon, Pam Cenkner (David), Christi Davidson, Stephen Stewart (Tracey), Lance Stewart (Heather), Trey Balcom (Amy), Jason Balcom, Brian Balcom (Heather), Paige Plumbley Ladd (Josh), Joe Shiver (Jennie); 17 great grandchildren, 18 great-great-grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews.
A graveside service will be held at 11:00 a.m., Thursday, July 30, 2020 at Forest Lawn Memory Gardens officiated by Pastor Jason Gamble of First Baptist Church of the Islands.
Many thanks to Hospice of Savannah and their loving care, and also to Riverview Nursing Home, who took great care of mama for the last two months of her life. No flowers please.
All donations can be made to Hospice Savannah, Inc., P.O. Box 13190, Savannah, GA 31416.
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Created with love by
Owen O'Conner (Mildred's cousin).
