| Sources |
- [S30] Millsaps Cemetery Survey, Dennis C. Wilson, (Hamilton County Tennessee Genealogical Society, October 2004), http://www.hctgs.org/Cemeteries/cemetery_millsaps.htm.
- [S237] Chattanooga Central High School, Class of 1963, (http://63pounders.com/faculty-index.php).
Jun 5, 1902 - Dec 7, 1982
Willard Newton Millsaps was born in Soddy, TN June 5, 1902 to Adam Garfield and Lillie May Dyke Millsaps. The second of five children, Willard Millsaps was a star athlete at Soddy High School, class of 1920. While a star in local amateur baseball, Millsaps first enrolled at Tennessee Tech in 1920 then transferred to Milligan College, Elizabethton, TN in 1921, where he became captain of the baseball team and played basketball, graduating in 1925. Millsaps played professional baseball from 1925-30 in the Carolina League, compiling a .318 lifetime batting average. On July 8, 1925 - his rookie season for the Danville (VA) Leafs - Millsaps had a career day, hitting three home runs, going 5 for 5, and driving in 8 runs against the Durham Bulls. Off-season, Millsaps served as head athletic coach and math instructor at Rockwood (TN) high school. On May 25, 1930 Willard married Soddy native Lucile Springfield. Concurrently, head football coach Dean Petersen left Central, George McCoy succeeded him, and hired Millsaps as an assistant.
Willard Millsaps assisted McCoy, then Petersen, through the 1934 football season, and also assisted baseball coach W T Bales from 1931-39. He taught general science and math at Central from 1930-42, then became Principal at Soddy-Daisy High School. On October 27, 1942 Millsaps was drafted into the Army at Fort Oglethorpe and, after serving almost a year, was discharged on August 1, 1943, returning to Soddy-Daisy as principal until 1947. Millsaps then applied his craft back at Central from 1947-1966, teaching geometry, trigonometry, then advanced math/calculus and retired after 40 years of teaching and coaching, 31 at Central.
He was head of the math department from 1956-on, following the retirement of W. H. Templeton. During his tenure Millsaps earned an MA from UC. Millsaps was on the Electric Power Board for 19 years, held membership/leadership positions in a number of fraternal organizations and teachers' associations, and is in the Chattanooga Oldtimers Sports Hall of Fame for baseball. Millsaps' wife of nearly 45 years, Lucille, passed away on May 5, 1975. He then moved to Virginia Beach, VA to be close to his daughter, Betty Jones (Central '58) and two grandsons, passing on Dec 7, 1982. Millsaps' junior yearbook, the 1924 Buffalo, states, "He says very little, but does much without noise." That, in essence, was Willard Newton Millsaps.
- [S11] Social Security Death Index 1935 - Current, (www.ancestry.com).
Name: Willard Millsaps
SSN: 415-03-0129
Last Residence:
23462 Virginia Beach, Virginia Beach City, Virginia, USA
BORN: 5 Jun 1902
Died: Dec 1982
State (Year) SSN issued: Tennessee (Before 1951)
- [S191] Virginia Death Records, 1912 - 2014, (www.ancestry.com).
Name: Willard Newton Millsaps
Gender: Male
Race: White
Age at Death: 80
Birth Date: 5 Jun 1902
Death Date: 7 Dec 1982
Death Place: Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA
Registration Date: 21 Dec 1982
Father: Adam Garfield Millsaps
Mother: Lillie Dyke
Spouse: Lucile Springfield Springfield Millsaps
- [S137] Hamilton County Tennessee Marriage Records, Hamilton County Clerk's Office, (https://secure2.hamiltontn.gov/CClerk/Marriage_License/PublicScreens/LicenseSearch.aspx).
Date Married: 5/1/1900 Book: 008 Page: 383 License: 11291
Groom Information
Name (FML): ADAM G. MILLSAPS
Address: County: HAMILTON Birthplace:
City/State/Zip: TN
Bride Information
Name (FML): LILLIE M. DYKES
Address: County: HAMILTON Birthplace:
City/State/Zip: TN
Officiant Name: J. N. MILLSAPS, J. P.
- [S137] Hamilton County Tennessee Marriage Records, Hamilton County Clerk's Office, (https://secure2.hamiltontn.gov/CClerk/Marriage_License/PublicScreens/LicenseSearch.aspx).
Date Married: 5/25/1930 Book: 036 Page: 328 License: 47951
Groom Information
Name (FML): WILLARD MILLSAPS
Address: County: HAMILTON Birthplace:
City/State/Zip: SODDY TN
Bride Information
Name (FML): LUCILE SPRINGFIELD
Address: County: HAMILTON Birthplace:
City/State/Zip: SODDY TN
Officiant Name: GENERAL W. TURPIN, MINISTER
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1902 - 1982 (80 years)
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