Compton, Millicent (Millie) Stuart Holmes

October 5, 1952 - February 19, 1995

Millie was born and raised in North Alabama. She had an older sister, Rebecca Merritt Holmes Long, and a younger brother, Gregory Milton Holmes.

She was the loving wife of Paul Dean Compton, the mother of Jane Merritt Compton (1978), Gregory Ryan Compton (1981), and Carl Peterson Compton (1984).

Millie was dedicated to training up her children to be courteous, responsible, genteel, hard-working, and successful. She walked the fine line between protective, demanding Mama Bear and humble, behind-the-scenes cheerleader for her children.

She was six feet tall with long, sleek dark hair, huge blue eyes, and porcelain skin. She played the flute in her high school marching band and occasionally for her kids' entertainment.

She loved her Delta Sigma sisters at David Lipscomb College. She was on the Homecoming Court and majored in biology. She met an athletic, music loving, tall gentleman--Paul Compton-- while at Lipscomb. They were married in Nashville on December 27, 1976. Millie spent many hours court-side and in the bleachers while Paul coached basketball and baseball at Brentwood Academy. Paul and Millie joined Otter Creek Church of Christ in 1978.

Her places of employment included NASA (college internship), the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (ranger), Nashville Christian School (biology teacher), Otter Creek Nursery School (teachers' assistant), Radnor Lake State Natural Area (naturalist / guide), and Crockett Elementary School (teachers' aide and leader of outdoor programming).

She loved the outdoors. She could identify many birds by their songs and woodland creatures by their footprints. Whenever her kids found a snake or bug in the backyard, she quickly produced her nature books and taught them to identify it by its markings. Her kids were not allowed to be afraid of or squeamish about nature because "the critters were here first."

She could harmonize to any a cappella hymn by ear, singing the alto part.

She always looked out for the newcomer in a group and intentionally sought to make connections / introductions for them. She taught her children to do the same.

Quotes that still ring in her children's ears:

Pretty is as pretty does.

Do things right.

Can't never could.

Fake it till you make it.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Take pride in your work.

Otter Creek preschool teachers. Millie is fourth from the left on the top row—tall and beautiful!