Master Chief Robert L. “Bob” Mills, U.S. Navy (Retired), age 81, of Paducah, Kentucky, formerly of Cadiz, Kentucky, passed away Wednesday, December 17, 2025, at Charter Assisted Living in Paris, Tennessee.
Bob was born in Waverly, Kentucky on May 7, 1944, son of the late Thomas Bernard and Ollie Mae Kaster Mills. He entered the US Navy at 18 and served on numerous Navy vessels which include the USS Kitty Hawk CV63, USS Ranger CV61, USS Canopus AS34, USS Simon Lake AS35, USS England DLG 22, USS Duluth LPD 6, and several US Navy minesweepers – only real men spent time on a Navy minesweeper.
Bob’s Navel career took him to numerous places and adventures around the globe from the Orient to Europe and crossing the equator numerous times taking him from a Pollywog to a Shellback.
These places and adventures are where he found mischief with his shipmates and lifelong compadres Lowell “Buzz” Block, Lloyd Hightower, Jim Ordorff, Jim Drost, his brother Henry Mills and countless other seamen. Bob’s 30-year Naval career culminated in his achieving the highest enlisted rank of Master Chief (E-9). He hung up his dungarees and peacoat and retired honorably in 1992. He and his wife Jeannette returned home to his native Kentucky where he carried on his love for hunting and fishing. After a few years in Morganfield, Bob and Jeannette continued their adventure and moved to Cadiz – because the fishing was better. They attended and were actively involved at Saint Stephen Catholic Church and made many lifelong friends. Bob joined the local chapter Ducks Unlimited where he participated in numerous fundraisers and maybe a few waterfowl hunting trips.
Bob is known to his buddies as a “standup guy” who would always do the right thing. He is known to his children as not sparing the rod but loving his children.
Bob’s Naval awards include the Navy Achievement Medal, Navy Unit Commendation, Navy E Ribbon, numerous Good Conduct Awards, Navy Expeditionary Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, Joint Coast Guard Operations Ribbon, Republic of Vietnam Unit Gallantry Citation.
After the passing of his wife, Jeannette, he met and married Mary.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Jeanette “Jeni” Marie Mills; great granddaughter, Korilyn Lynn Boyd; three brothers, Henry Mills, James Mills, Louie Mills and four sisters, Ruth Griggs, Sarah Mills, Rita Hendrickson and Imogene Denton.
He is survived by his wife, Mary Mills of Paducah, Kentucky; children, Mike Shoemaker of Phoenix, Arizona, Angie LaPlante (Joel, USAF retired) of Edmond, Oklahoma and Victoria Boyd of San Diego, California; grandchildren, Christopher LaPlante (US Army) (Kelsey), Brandon Boyd and Courtney Slaughter (Cody) and great grandchildren, Jackson LaPlante, Mackenzie LaPlante, Dawson LaPlante, Lucas LaPlante, Annistyn LaPlante, Carsyn Slaughter and Cammy Slaughter.
The family will receive friends from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM, Tuesday, December 23, 2025 at Saint Stephen Catholic Church, 1698 Canton Road in Cadiz with a funeral mass to follow visitation at 12:00 PM with Father Jegin Puthenpurackal officiating. Burial with full military honors will follow the mass at Kentucky Veterans Cemetery West in Hopkinsville, Kentucky.
The funeral arrangements are being handled by Goodwin Funeral Home, Inc., 138 Main Street in Cadiz.
