Mildred "Millie" E. Housley

Mildred Ellen (Clapp) Housley was born May 10, 1927 in McCook, Nebraska to Charley Allen and Crescenty ‘Cinda’ Matilda (Balius) Clapp, the fourth of ten children.  After graduating from McCook High School in 1945, she worked at the Safeway grocery store to help support her parents and siblings.

On November 12, 1948 Millie married her high school sweetheart Stanley Robert Housley in Grand Island Nebraska.  Millie immediately embraced the role as a loving mother to her infant step-son Gary Robert Housley.  Eventually, Millie and Stan’s family grew by four as Linda, Cindy, Terri, and Cheryl were born.

She was a homemaker, softball coach, and #1 fan of her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, spending countless hours playing ball in the yard and cheering them on from the stands.  She was also a #1 fan of the Atlanta Braves and Saint Louis Cardinals (or as her grandson Kyler called them ‘Two Birds on a Stick’).  On Wednesday nights, Millie and her sisters Eva, Levina, Trudy, Bev and her aunt Esther would be found at the Elks Club shouting ‘Bingo!’ but more frequently grumbling out ‘Darn It!’.

Millie was a 60 plus year member of the United Methodist Church in McCook.  She received the ‘Good Neigh-Bear’ Award in 2000.  Millie was widely known for her giving spirit, caring heart, and willingness to volunteer.  She folded hundreds of Bison Alumni newsletters, helped Levina serve cinnamon rolls at Bingo, and lent a helping hand at Hillcrest Nursing Home.  When she was not baby-sitting or rounding up children, you would probably find her mowing, sweeping the sidewalks, or scooping snow.  Anyone walking by on those pristine sidewalks would often see her playing catch with the youngsters or hear her teaching them how to yodel and play the harmonica.  Millie treated everyone like family with the porch being a popular place on any given day.  Her love was like the positive side of her kitchen magnets, pulling loved ones in and holding them close.  Every Christmas Eve was spent at Grandma Millie’s, with the grandkids excitedly trying to find their very own special Christmas ornament hanging throughout the house.  She made the world’s best fudge, peanut brittle, and sugar cookies, often sending leftovers home either in Country Crock bowls or neatly ‘ironed’ Wal-Mart bags.

Millie was reunited with the love of her life on Thursday, January 14, 2021 at Community Hospital in McCook.  Preceding her in death were her parents, her husband on February 11, 1999; brothers Albert, Charles Jr, and Clifford Clapp; sisters Evelyn Spence, Eva Harris, Gladys Earl, and Gertrude King; brothers-in-law Darrell Housley, Clarence Liston, Bernard King, Robert Hagemann, Kenneth Holcomb, William King, William Harris, Donald Spence, Darryl Earl, Robert Johnson, Paul Fritsche, and Gary Premer; sisters-in-law Mabel Davis, Geraldine Holcomb, Sally Johnson, and Betty Clapp; grandchildren Jeffrey, Kerri, and Kody McCully; and granddaughter-in-law Michelle Stevens.  Millie is survived by her sisters Levina Fritsche and Beverly Premer of McCook, sisters-in-law Freda Clapp of McCook, Rosalee (William) Pinkerton of Manteca, California and Peggy Grey of California; step-son Gary Housley of Cheyenne Wyoming; daughters Linda (Dan) Haines of Culbertson, Cindy (Steve) Quigley of Indianola, Terri (Tim) Stevens of McCook, and Cheryl Collins of McCook; grandchildren Erica Hill, Kyler (Amy) Haines, Danny (Misty) Haines, Bree (Lance) Frazier, Rami (Jarod) Albers, Taylor Quigley and special friend Andee Noltensmeier, Ryan Stevens, Jason (Jackie) Stevens, Tara (Andy) Jernigan, Laci (Jason) Ingels, and Kori (Aaron) Gandy; 32 great-grandchildren; 2 great-great grandchildren with 2 more on the way; and numerous nieces, nephews, and extended family.

A visitation will be held on Friday, January 22, 2021 from 5 to 7PM at Carpenter Breland Funeral Home, McCook.

A Memorial Service will be held at 2PM on Saturday, January 23, 2021 at Memorial United Methodist Church with Pastor Jeff Kelley officiating.

Those in attendance of the service are asked to please wear a face covering. The service will be streamed on Facebook Live for those unable to attend in person.

Inurnment will follow in Memorial Park Cemetery, McCook

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be directed in Millie’s Name to Carpenter Breland Funeral Home, c/o the Housley Family, PO Box 476, McCook, NE 69001.