Millideen Grace (Bates) Huff was born January 26, 1938, in Success, MO to John J. Bates and Cleta (Coffey) Bates. She departed this life on September 22, 2023, in Licking, MO, at the age of 85. Millideen is survived by her four sons, Sterling, Jr. (Kerri), Scott (Linda), Steven, and Stanley (Tonya); Grandchildren, John, James (Brandi), Sterling Q., Ty (August), Skyler, and Haley; Great Grandchildren, Parker, Penelope, Axel, Sloan, Maddisyn, Alyvia, Whitlee, and Jensen; and brother and sister in-laws, Judy Bates, Jeannie Bates, Beverly James, Pat Douglass, Karen (Albert) Foxworthy, and Gary (Kyra) Huff. She is proceeded in death by her parents; husband, Sterling Huff; all her brother and sisters, John Bates Jr., Florance Kimery, Faye Yates, Loren Bates and Laural Bates; her father and mother in-law, Roy and Clara Huff; brother-in-law, Terry Huff; and daughter-in-law, Sabrina. Millideen was a devoted Christian her entire life and faithfully supported her church with her time and tithes. She taught Sunday School, VBS, and was a leader in youth groups. She graduated from Gladden Elementary School and Houston High School. After high school she worked at Ft. Leonard Wood in an office. On December 8, 1956, she married the love of her life Sterling. They settled in Success, MO and lived primitively with the first two babies, Sterling Jr., and Scott. They then moved to Licking and had two more boys, Steven, and Stanley. After the boys were all in school Millideen went to work at Rawlings. Sterling and Millideen took their family on several vacations to the ocean, mountains, and Washington DC. They were huge supporters of all their boys’ sporting events. After all the boys graduated high school, Millideen went to college, a dream she had her whole life. When asked how old she would be when she graduated, she replied, “The same age I would be if I didn’t.” Millideen graduated with honors from Drury University in May 1985. In the fall she began her career with the Division of Family Services as an investigator. She was one hundred percent invested in the children she worked with. She retired after many years of getting up in the middle of the night to go investigate a call and driving all over Texas County. Sterling and Millideen enjoyed 60 years together traveling all over the country, taking many trips and cruises to the Caribbean and of course Branson. Grandma Deen absolutely loved taking the grandkids to Branson. They religiously fixed Sunday lunch for the growing family as long as their health allowed, maybe longer. Millideen was a loving wife, hardworking mother, adoring grandmother, the best mother-in-law ever, meticulous housekeeper, and a fabulous cook. We miss you Deen.
