Millie Humphrey, just 13 days short of her 101st birthday, set out for her next adventure on April 24, 2024. She lived those 100-plus years to the fullest. A 15-minute committal service will be held at 2:30pm on Wednesday, May 1st, at the Black Hills National Cemetery. Millie will be laid to rest with her beloved husband, Jim Humphrey.
Mildred (Millie) Celestial Boltz, was born on May 7, 1923, near Plainview, South Dakota, the 5th of 6 daughters. The memories of her first 12 years were clearly communicated to her family through the book she wrote about her life and her verbal descriptions. The family worked hard, caring for cattle, hogs, horses, and the land. Many are amazed this family herded their hogs all the way to Faith, SD, to be put on the train to be sold in Sioux City, IA. They also knew how to have fun, and she adored her parents and sisters. She learned how to bottle beer, dance, play the accordion, ride a horse, and enjoy new technology such as automobiles. Her love for reading formed during those years. She made lifelong friends and developed a lifelong love for the prairie of South Dakota.
The 1930s were hard years, and the Boltz family lost their home in a fire as well as suffered from drought. Millie saved her beloved accordion from the fire but learned that things are just things. The residents of Plainview showed their love for the family during this difficult time, and Millie always remembered the importance of community. Six months later, Chris Boltz died after a throat biopsy, and Ida had to make hard decisions for the family. She sent horses and machinery to Illinois, where her three oldest daughters resided, and moved the younger three girls to the town of Sturgis.
Living in town was a big change but a new adventure for Millie. She enjoyed everything Sturgis had to offer and participated in almost every activity available. She made more lifelong friends and danced, skated, went to movies, fished, hunted deer, and lived a positive, active life. She met people who loaned her high-quality horses to ride, and she usually had her nose in a book. She belonged to, but usually led, every activity at Sturgis High School, and graduated in 1941.
The war years affected Millie and her beloved family and community in many ways. She did what she could by working at the Clerk of Courts office, writing letters to soldiers, serving as a USO hostess in Sturgis and Rapid City, then working with the rationing program at the First National Bank. She continued to ride borrowed horses on the Fort Meade Military Reservation land and developed a deep love for those trails as well as trails in Vanocker and Boulder Canyons. She played softball, sang in choirs, roller-skated, ice skated, rode bicycles, became a 4-H leader, then helped organize the Key City Riding Club. This club was only social at first but then developed into a precision drill team and revitalized the use of Barry Stadium at Fort Meade for horse shows. Millie won many honors in horsemanship classes.
Millie met James J. (Jim) Humphrey in Sturgis. and they married and had numerous adventures for 35 years. They lived on several ranches Jim managed, and Millie was his partner while starting a family. She had to learn to cope with limited access to town while feeding about 20 hired hands, utilizing a wood stove to cook and bake, feeding truckers any time of day or night, and keeping the records for the ranches. She worked hard but had fun and developed more friendships. Millie and Jim purchased a house in Whitewood, SD, in 1954, and Jim oversaw eight ranches from that base for several years.
Millie was able to spend more time with her mom, who still lived in Sturgis, while raising the children in Whitewood. She was always busy with family activities. Burton, Casey, and Colleen were born prior to the move, and Kerry, Pat, Molly and Susan were born while living in Whitewood. Millie served as a 4-H and Boy Scout leader, wrote columns for the newspaper, and took not only her own children, but also many others, to movies, ice skating, swimming, picnics at the parks, and activities with the Catholic Church in St. Onge. Everyone was welcome for meals, overnight stays, and fun at the Humphrey home. Education was always important, and Millie shared her love of reading anything and everything with her children. Reading the dictionary and encyclopedias was common, and she often instructed her children to “go look it up.” Being active was always a priority, and the children had access to sleds, ice skates, roller skates, and bicycles. Travel was often spontaneous, and Millie–sometimes with Jim or Ida–took the family on vacations all over the west as well as to visit relatives in Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Idaho, New Mexico, California, and Nevada. Sometimes Jim would announce a trip, and Millie would be able to wrangle 7 kids, luggage, and food for 2 weeks with only 2 hours of notice.
In 1967, Millie re-entered the workforce and began her career in finance at the Fort Meade VA Medical Center. She never worked with or served a stranger, and she advanced steadily. She received numerous awards and was chosen to participate in many new programs during her 21 years at Fort Meade. She was active in the Employees’ Association. She started league bowling and became a member of the
Grannies. She bowled with some of those teammates for 40 years, attending many state and national tournaments. Her class reunions were a great source of pleasure, and she loved planning and organizing them and staying in touch with classmates. She was the last survivor of the Sturgis High School Class of 1941.
Millie lost her mom in 1977 and then Jim in 1983. As much as she loved her work, she decided to retire in 1988 and have more fun. Her first Senior Olympics led to 17 first place finishes in events she had not done in some time. She started raising money for the American Cancer Society and joined the Black Hills Wranglers trail group. She rode all over the Black Hills and enjoyed camping with horses in many places, especially Custer State Park. Her children were scattered all over the country and there were grandchildren to visit. She never missed important events, even those that involved flying to Alaska for a hockey tournament, driving or flying to Texas for swimming or gymnastics, concerts, bike races, and graduations. Millie was always highly involved and present in all her grandchildren’s activities.
The Humphrey home was often referred to as “Millie’s Modern Motel.” She always made room for anyone who stopped by and could make a delicious meal quickly and graciously. No one could turn down one of Millie’s Heavenly Buns, cinnamon rolls, or a slice of her apple pie. Numerous vehicles from other states were often parked in front of the house. The children, and later grandchildren, became used to sleeping outside in the summertime, either in a tent or under the stars.
Millie’s love for travel and learning led her to take numerous trips. She visited all 50 states and traveled abroad many times, including well-loved trips to Thailand, several European trips, the Holy Land, and China. She traveled with small and large groups that included old friends and others who would quickly become friends. Her last trip abroad was in 2010, when–at age 87–she walked on the Great Wall of China.
Millie’s love for horses, being in nature, and adventure ensured she was never still. She rode in many states, including South Dakota, Wyoming, Nebraska, Colorado, Utah, Montana, Missouri, and Nevada. She participated in the Centennial Wagon Train and the Ft. Pierre to Deadwood Wagon Train. She purchased her dun mule, Buck, because he was easy to get on and off and had a lot of personality. She rode him until she was 95 years old. She looked for opportunities to ride special places, such as the Air Force Academy, even though that required her to sign up for a competitive event. She was still able to tackle difficult trails, such as Black Elk Peak, when she was 90 years old. The last few years, she mainly enjoyed riding the Centennial Trail, the Mickelson Trail, and at Fort Meade. She had so many memories about Fort Meade and loved being able to share them with others.
In 2011, Millie was nominated for and won the Spirit of Dakota award, based on her leadership qualities, courage, strength of character, and community commitment. The woman chosen is meant to serve as a guidepost for the present generation and beyond. The committee chose well.
In 2012, Millie finished writing a book about her life, A Lifetime of Memories. It was originally started to share stories and history for her children and grandchildren. It has been enjoyed by many relatives, neighbors, and friends and has been utilized often the past couple of years to nudge Millie’s memories. The book was dedicated to her Mom and Dad, whose hard work, faith, and spirit of adventure contributed to her zest for life.
Millie moved from her home in Whitewood to Sturgis in 2014, initially living in an apartment before moving to Aspen Grove Assisted Living in 2017. Freedom from housekeeping and yard work gave her more time to play cards and Scrabble, visit friends and family, read, watch movies, and go to the community center. Her favorite shows included Mama’s Family, Andy Griffith, The Golden Girls, I Love Lucy, Green Acres, and Wheel of Fortune. She always welcomed visitors with a smile of true enjoyment and was grateful for every card, photo, gifts of chocolate, and opportunity to play her accordion and share a story or poem. She enjoyed good health until January of 2024, and on the day of her passing, was able to walk herself to the dining room to eat lunch.
May 7,2023, Millie’s 100th birthday, was declared Millie Humphrey Day by Sturgis Mayor Mark Carstensen. Hundreds of family and friends came from all over the United States to celebrate 100 years of Millie. She loved every minute of it.
So many memories through the years–captured in her large collection of photo albums, mementos, and written thoughts–have left a huge legacy behind for her family, her friends, and the community. They will be cherished. It isn’t often in our lives that we come across someone so special that that person stays with you forever. Millie was that kind of person. She loved without condition, never lectured, and never judged. She listened, comforted, and helped. She lived a simple life, and her greatest accomplishment and source of pride were her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Holidays always saw a large crowd at her house, and while some may have found the Christmas tree garish after the grandchildren had finished applying tinsel–which was always gathered back up afterwards to reuse the next year–she believed that more tinsel could only make it more beautiful, especially when watching the joy with which the children decorated. Family was everything to Millie, and she kept everyone connected no matter where they were or what they were doing.
Millie had a very deep faith and embodied the faithfulness, kindness and generosity of Jesus in her everyday life. Millie practiced these philosophies and passed them to her children:
- Do not say an unkind word about anyone. Count your blessings and look at the world through the eyes of others.
- There is always room for another at the dinner table or as a long-term guest in our home. Kindness and generosity are practiced at all times.
- Take advantage of every opportunity to learn or do something new. Travel, meet people, stick your neck out and give it a try.
- Housework can always wait if you are in the middle of a good book or an invitation to go somewhere is offered. “Life is too short to dust,” as Millie said.
- Embrace life, get plenty of fresh air and exercise. Eat healthy meals, but always enjoy dessert!
- Girls should always learn to be financially independent. A husband can get sick, die, or leave you.
Millie was preceded in death by her father, mother, all 5 of her sisters, and several nieces, nephews, and beloved cousins. She is survived by a grateful but very sad family; Sons: Burton (AK), Casey (TX), and Patrick (TX); Daughters: Colleen (SD) Kerry (SD), Molly (TX), and Susan (SD); Grandchildren: Chris (AK), Shaun (TX), Aaron (TX), Brian (CO), Kelly (WY), Sam (SD), Kaley (TX), Shannon (TX), Katy (TX), Chelsea (VA), and Alissa (CO), and 26 great-grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, you may donate to the Old Fort Meade Museum (PO Box 164, Fort Meade, SD 57741). You can toast Millie with a root beer float or remember her by visiting some of her favorite places, such as Fort Meade and Custer State Park. Think of her when you see a bluebird or some orange, red, or pink flowers. Watch a movie with Spencer Tracy, Katherine Hepburn, or Sidney Poitier. Listen to “Edelweiss,” “Lara’s Theme” from Dr. Zhivago, or “Amazing Grace.” Play a game of Scrabble or whist. Above all, honor Millie by being present with your loved ones and grateful for your place in the community and world.
Below is a link to a YouTube channel with videos of Millie sharing the poems, songs, and stories her family always loved to hear. The videos were shot by granddaughter Kaley and uploaded by granddaughter Chelsea.
