Abe Quinton Mills

Abe Quinton Mills of Scott County passed away on March 19 th , 2026, at St Dominic’s after experiencing a stroke earlier that week. He was surrounded by the ones he loved most and held closest during the last days of his beautiful journey here on earth. Abe began his life on March 3 rd , 1935, in Leake County, Mississippi. He attended Madden High School and grew into the beloved, strong-hearted man whom those who know him as. Abe served his country faithfully as a member of the Air National Guard for four years. He met his wife, Sarah Jeanette Sessums, and married her on April 17 th , 1954. They were married for a wonderful 65 years. During that time, they effortlessly became a team both in marriage and in work life. They knew they had each found their helper and uplifted one another, displaying what it meant to lay down one’s life for another.

Abe and Sarah’s early journey began unfolding in Jackson, Mississippi. They moved to the city shortly after getting married, and it was in this small town that Abe found his passion. It all started with his usual milk delivery routes, where he would encounter farmers in possession of calves in need of extra care and attention. He would bring them home to his wife, where they would nurse and coax them back to health. Here, he discovered what the calling on his life would be. 60 acres in Hillsboro were later purchased under his name, and it was there that he built a dairy farm from the ground up. As time passed, the Lord grew and blessed Abe and his family in all that they did.

Their dairy farm evolved into a successful business. Abe immersed himself in the farming community by delivering feed to his fellow hard-working friends. Abe found joy in lending a helping hand where there was a need. He was committed to living a life that was saturated in honesty and integrity. It came naturally to Abe due to his kind-hearted nature. He wore his morals and beliefs proudly and never wavered in the face of uncertainty or fear.

Abe enjoyed fishing, farming, and specifically tending to his cows. He loved taking scenic routes through his pastures. He was heavily involved with his community, serving on many boards.  These boards included Scott County Farm Bureau, State Farm Bureau, American Soil and Conservation, and the Dairy Farmers of America. Abe also served as a deacon and attended church at Hillsboro Baptist Church.

Abe and his wife were blessed with two daughters, Judy and Jan. They remain his pride and joy today. Their days were filled with rides on tractors, tending the cows, tag-alongs on milk runs, and stops at the local country store for treats. He instilled in them a knowledge of what it meant to work hard and to love another. Most importantly, he taught them to love the Lord your God above all else. That it was on the Rock of Ages that they were to build their lives upon, just as he strived to. Through his daughters, he also gained two sons-in-law, Freddy Ledford and Britt Cowell. He loved them both as his own, and they worked hard alongside him throughout the years.

Throughout his life, Abe displayed what it meant to grow into a servant of the Lord with his actions. His faith was what anchored his heart and his life. He understood that he had been entrusted with a beautiful life to steward. He gave to those without expecting the debt to be repaid. When some quietly cried out in a moment of need, his hand was there to lift them to their feet. Broken pieces were put back together for those who could not do it themselves. His heart beat continually for those in his community in need of kindness. There was no favor too big or too small for Abe. In his eyes, there was only a savior who repaid his debt, so he spent his life handing out the same grace he had received.

He loved those around him fiercely and unconditionally. While he was a quiet, humble man, his work ethic, generosity, unshakeable strength, and lasting impact resounded throughout his community. The lives he touched, through the grace and work of our Lord, were forever changed. The effect of his love remains woven into the very hearts of all who encountered him.

Abe is survived by his daughters, Judy (Freddy) Ledford, and Jan (Britt) Crowell, his grandsons Jonathan Abe (Meredith) Ledford, Joshua (Kayla) Ledford, and Christopher Drew (Brooke) Crowell, and his three great-grandchildren, Sanders Abe Ledford, Emma Cate Ledford, and Mills Elizabeth Ledford. These grandchildren carry on pieces of Abe within their very identity, each named after him as a testament to his life and legacy.

He is predeceased by his parents, Jacob and Devera Mills, his wife, Sarah Mills, and his two brothers, Hubert and Jack Mills. A gathering to honor and celebrate Abe will begin with a visitation at Hillsboro Baptist Church on Sunday, March 22 nd, 2026, from 1:15 pm until 2:15 pm. The funeral will follow at Hillsboro Baptist Church, starting at 2:30 pm, with the burial immediately after at Hillsboro Baptist Church Cemetery. The clergy officiating will be Reverend Eli Cooper and Dr. Ricky Gray. The pallbearers that will escort Abe to his final resting place are as follows: Jonathan Ledford, Joshua Ledford, Christopher Drew Crowell, Justin Hurdle, Jason Hurdle, Dylan Sessums, and Patrick Sessums. Honorary pallbearers are as follows: Wayne Gordy, Joe Brown, Charles Rawson, Joe Brown, Andy Ledford, John Johnson, Kyle Dillon, Gerald Mills, Lloyd Stokes, Stacy Sessums, and Scott Sessums.