Owned and farmed land in the southeast portion of Wells County. Was also a Wells County Commissioner.
Obituary from the Bluffton News-Banner, 3/20/2000:
A Wells County commissioner for more than 20 years, Joy L. Brown, 87, of Nottingham Township, died at 7:15 a.m. today in the emergency room at Caylor-Nickel Medical Center in Bluffton.
Mr. Brown was a lifelong farmer in Wells and Blackford Counties. He was a member of the Farm Bureau and Gideons International.
He served 21 years as a member of the Wells County Board of Commissioners, holding office continually from 1957. Prior to being elected as a commissioner, he served two and one-half years as office manager for the Wells County Agriculture and Stabilization and Conservation Committee. He also was active in the Wells County Democratic Party and was a former member of the Blackford United Methodist Church.
He was a past president of the Highway Extension and research Project for Indiana Counties and a member of its 12-member advisory board. He also held various offices in the North East District of the County Commissioners Association.
In 1974, Mr. Brown was recognized as a recipient of the "Golden Rule" Award for his service by the Association of Indiana Counties.
He was born in Wells County Jan. 23, 1913 to William and Pearl Marker Brown. He was a graduate in 1931 of Petroleum High School. A first marriage was to Pauline Arnold, who died in 1985. His second marriage at Montpelier on Jan. 16, 1988 was to Frances E. Stepp, who survives.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by a son, Kent Brown of Montpelier; two stepdaughters, Mrs. Everett (Joyce) Lee of Montpelier and Mrs. Paul (Judy) Herring of Keystone; two stepsons, Jerry Hart of Tustin, Texas, and Jeff Hart of Logansport; a brother, Edwin Brown of Montpelier; 10 grandchildren; and 19 great-grandchildren. Four brothers and a half-brother are deceased.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Glancy Funeral Home, Walker Chapel, in Montpelier with Rev. Frank Rodgers officiating. Burial will be in Elm Grove Cemetery at Bluffton.
Calling hours at the funeral home will be Tuesday from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m.
Born in her fathers grocery store 1 mile north of the Jay County line on State Rd 1 in what used to be the town of Nottingham, Wells County. Twin sister of Mardell. Born twenty minutes prior.
Graduated from Warren High School, Warren, Huntington County, Indiana, Class of 1935. Served in the United States Army Air Corps / United States Air Force during World War II and the Korean conflict. Was a pilot transporting troops and supplies throughout the western Pacific theater. Retired as a Major in 1967.
Marriage Notes for Marceil Arnold and Mark Allen MANN
1 _MEND Divorce
Born in her fathers grocery store 1 mile north of the Jay County line on State Rd 1 in what used to be the town of Nottingham, Wells County.Twin sister of Marceil. Born 20 minutes afterward.
From the Bluffton News-Banner, Bluffton, Indiana, 3/26/2001
Robert M. Mills, 82 A retired dairy farmer and native of Wells County, Robert M. Mills, 82, died March 23 at Venice, Fla.
He was in management of Greenview and Fairways of Capri Isles Condominums at Venice. He was a featured Dairy Herd Improvement Award winner by Prairie Farmer magazine, secretary and board member of the former Allen Dairy and a seven-gallon blood donor.
He was a member of the First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) at Venice. He was born in Wells County Feb. 13, 1919.
Surviving are three daughters, Wilma Johannson of Grand Rapids, Mich., Mary Lou Krick of Fort Wayne and Jeanette Humphries of Kenton, Ohio; three sons, R. Michael of Harrisburg, Pa., Fred of Venice and John of Bluffton; a brother, Wayne S. of Bluffton; 12 grandchildren; and 16 great-grandchildren. The body is to cremated.
Services are to be announced for a future date.
John was brought in to the Mills family as a foster child. While John did have his name changed legally, he was never adopted by Robert and Mardell. John's birth name was DOLL.