Carolyn was born June 15, 1929, in the little town of Noxapater, Mississippi, to George Herbert and Theresia Elena Talbert Caperton. Growing up in the town of Noxapater, she experienced the usual experiences of small-town children like roller-skating on the sidewalks, walking the railroad tracks, swimming in a swimming hole beside the tracks, playing baseball in a vacant lot with the neighborhood kids, and reading all the books from the WPA Library. She started school in Noxapater at the age of six where she skipped first grade and moved on to second. Her first elected school position was as president of the SPCA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals). At the age of eight she joined Mt. Carmel Baptist Church. At the age of twelve, she and her family moved to Louisville to be closer to Fair's Mill where her daddy was a millwright. She and her family joined First Baptist Church in Louisville. She spent the last two months of her seventh-grade year at Louisville school. In the eighth grade she began taking an extra subject each year which in turn enabled her to finish high school in three years, graduating at the age of 16 years.
During her high school years, she was a member of the Debate Club and The Drama Club. As a senior she met and fell in love with her future husband, Archie Lee Mills. Graduating with honors from Louisville High School with honors in May of 1946, she was awarded a work scholarship to Huntington College in Montgomery, Alabama. But instead of going on to college, she married Archie in November and moved with him to the Center Ridge community in the western part of Winston County. She joined Center Ridge Methodist Church and has been a dedicated faithful member ever since. After joining the church, she immediately began teaching the adult Sunday School class. Throughout the years, she also taught children classes and led MYF. She was part of a vocal ensemble at Center Ridge for many years. Her previous duties have also included altar chairman, communion steward and trustee. She has held many county positions within the Methodist church.
At the age of 25 to help support her family of then three children, she went to work at Louisville Pants Factory. She worked there until she was expecting her fourth child. In addition to taking care of the house and children, she helped with all the farm work, raising cows, hogs and chickens, growing and picking cotton and corn, baling hay, milking the milk cow, and raising vegetables for the dinner table. To help supplement their family's income, she also sold Avon products door to door in the neighborhood. Carolyn was among the first to welcome anyone who moved to the community with cookies and an invitation to church.
Upon the entrance of her sixth and last child to the first grade, she began her 24-year career with the school food service and driving a school bus. Her last ten years at the Louisville High School cafeteria she served as manager where she always made sure every child had food. She was awarded the outstanding manger title in District VI in 1986 and was District Director of Mississippi School Food Service in 1989 and 1990. During her summer vacations, she worked as a cook at Tri County Nursing Home.
All three of her girls were Brownies and she served as a Brownie leader. Organizing the Ford 4-H Club, with all of her children being in the club and of which she was a leader for 15 years, she was instrumental in many worthwhile projects being started and completed. Introduced to the American Heart Association by Mineola Melton she served for over 20 years, first as a rural chairman and later as the county wide chairman. She was a member of the Louisville Business and Professional Women's Organization (BPW) for 25 years at which she served as President twice and District Director twice. She was chosen as the 1986 BPW Woman of the Year. After retiring from the school, she joined the Winston County Garden Club and has held many offices. She was a member of the Winston Medical Auxiliary and volunteered weekly in the hospital gift shop. In 2002, she was crowned Queen of the Charity Ball by the Junior Auxiliary of Louisville.
In 2005, she became a Master Gardener and participated in the planting and maintaining of the Butterfly Garden at the Mollie Estes/J.W. Young Park in Noxapater. Carolyn was a member of the Friends of Legion State Park and helped with the fishing rodeo that is held there annually. She was also a member of the Winston Genealogy Society and a member of the United Daughters of the Confederacy where she has held many positions. Since the early 1950's, Carolyn voluntarily wrote her weekly column “Let’s Be Neighbors” for the Winston County Journal.
Carolyn is survived by three daughters: Teresa Ingram (Michael), Carol Clark, and Julie Mills (Billy Catt); and three sons: David Mills (Martha), Clinton Mills (Carol), and Danny Mills (Gidget). She also raised her brother, Larry Caperton, as her own child after the passing of their mother when he was only 12 years old. One of her greatest joys was being “Mammaw” to her grandchildren: Dallas Mills (Kim), Mollie Mills Sheppard (Shep), Jonathan Mills, Drew Gordon, Josh Mills (Jessica), Elena Mills Gilbert (Chris), Landon Mills, and Austin Catt (Daisy); as well as a special niece and nephew whom she considered her grandchildren, Shelley Carr and Thad Caperton. She is also survived by her 16 great-grandchildren: Lindsey Mills, Morgan Mills, Hannah Mills, Rylee Mills, Colton Mills, Bodie Mills, Brayden Gilbert, Mason Gilbert, Aria Gordon, Gabriella Phillips, Tyler Sheppard, Dax Sheppard, Travis Sheppard, Sophie Carr, Kate Francis Carr, and Parker Catt. Carolyn was preceded in death by husband of more than 53 years, Archie Lee Mills; three infant children; grandson, Justin Lane Mills; great-granddaughter, Aubrie Sheppard; her parents; and two sisters, Peggy Stokes and Charlene Baggett.
Serving as pallbearers are Dallas Mills, Josh Mills, Jonathan Mills, Landon Mills, Danny Mills, Drew Gordon, Austin Catt and Billy Catt. Honorary pallbearers are Brayden Gilbert, Colton Mills, Mason Gilbert, Bodie Mills, Tyler Sheppard, Dax Sheppard, and Travis Sheppard. Memorials in honor of Carolyn may be given to Center Ridge Cemetery Fund, 1584 Spay Road, McCool, MS 39108 or to the American Heart Association online at heart.org.
