The Boss (Ode to Millie)

When I arrived at Springfield Friends Meeting in October of 1986, the secretary was a woman named Pat Lindfors.  She worked half days, with most of her time spent on the weekly bulletin.  Pat was a sweet and wonderful lady- sometimes too sweet.  She was the kind of person who would ask permission to walk down the hall and use the restroom.  She also was not much of a self-starter.  If you wanted Pat to do something, you had to tell her exactly what you wanted.  Springfield was a fairly stressful place in those early days, and Pat could not deal with it very well- so she resigned.  I think this was the summer of 1988.  We were uncertain of who would replace her...

I left to go on a youth trip to Myrtle Beach, and when I came back Max Rees had hired Millie Simmons on a trial basis.  Millie and her husband George had two daughters, Amy and Jennifer (all pictured here along with Ashley Goad on the far left), who were active in our programs.  I admit to being a bit surprised that Millie was interested in the job.  She didn't seem like the church secretary type.  She was funny, outspoken and a ball of energy.  When we needed her to do things for us, she would not only do them, she would give us better ideas than we had to begin with.  It didn't take Millie long to establish that there was a new sheriff in town!  She took control of the office.  She took control of the church communications.  She took control of Max and I!  And the church loved her.  The old men would stop by to visit with her.  She became the point person for the church's famous Ham & Egg Supper; she became the person who dealt with the homeless and downtrodden who would come to the church looking for financial help.  She was a great supporter of our youth ministry.  And she was a great friend to both Marilyn and I.

Max and I used to joke with Millie about her being our boss.  The facts are we would never have accomplished the things we did without her help and leadership.  I was fortunate to work with a number of good secretaries in the years that followed, but never anyone quite like Millie.  She was the best!  And she outlasted both of us...

Because of Jesus,