Benjamin Tarley Mills

Benjamin Tarley Mills of Bartow, Florida went home to be with his Lord Jesus Christ on July 4, 2019 after a sudden cardiac arrest.  Ben was 49 years old.  Born September 3, 1969 to Everett and Tessa (Hodges) Mills of Bartow, FL.  Ben spent most of his life in the Bartow/ Lakeland, Florida area.  He graduated from Bartow Senior High School and earned an AA degree from Polk Community College as well as a Science degree from Warner Southern College.  He met his beloved Nicole (Durand) in October of 2003; they married April 23, 2005 in a beautiful, unique mid 1800’s period wedding (a fitting theme for this keen history buff/ avid historical re-enactor).  He spoke often of wanting children; he hoped they’d be as beautiful as some children he already knew.  When his daughters were born, they were not as beautiful as the children he knew; they were more beautiful than any children ever. Ben worked in law enforcement for about 15 years and spent a couple of years in the oil fields of North Dakota.  Most recently, he was a Commercial Driver Owner Operator for Walpole Inc, a job he loved more than any other. Ben was a kind, generous and loving man; he loved his God, his family and his country and did his best to serve them all.  He was a loving husband, father and friend. He was active in his community, assisting in many political campaigns.  He often participated in historical re-enactment events with The 37th Alabama Company H and Alafia River Rendezvous.  In many ways, Ben was larger than life.  He was easy to spot in a crowd -- taller than most, an infectious smile that lit up the room, and a contagious laugh we all loved.  He had a great sense of humor and lived life to the fullest.  When there was talk of household repairs, Ben would frequently say, “I’m no Bob Villa”; but when it came to the topic of American history, no one came close to the wealth of knowledge that Ben had.  He was very patriotic.  He loved his people deeply and sought ways to serve God and the people placed in his path.  He touched the lives of so many; Ben will be sorely missed.  He is survived by his beloved wife, Nicole, and daughters, Sara and Morgan; his maternal grandmother, Christine Hodges; his father, Everett Mills; his brothers, Aaron Mills (Karlie Babb), and Nathan Mills (Krista Kefalos). A memorial service will be held at 10:30 am on Saturday, July 20, 2019 at First Baptist Church of Bartow (410 E. Church St., Bartow, FL).  In lieu of flowers, a GoFundMe account has been established to help Ben’s wife and daughters, since he was the sole provider.  Your thoughtfulness will be appreciated.