Rodger Barney Mills

Seminole resident Rodger Barney Mills, 60, passed away Thursday, November 12, 2026, in Seminole.

Rodger, the son of H.E. and Nellie (Benham) Mills, was born August 9, 1966, in Carnegie, Oklahoma. He grew up in Ft. Cobb, where he graduated with the Ft. Cobb High School Class of 1984. Following high school, Rodger attended vo-tech, where he studied automotive mechanics.

Rodger had a knack for working with his hands and built his first car alongside his best friend, Charlie Gilliland. In the mid-1990s, he made Seminole his home. On May 19, 1995, he married JoAnne Totty in Oklahoma City, beginning a life together filled with memories and shared experiences.

Rodger enjoyed many hobbies and interests throughout his life. An avid hunter, he also enjoyed woodworking, riding motorcycles, and listening to music. He was active in the Facebook Ponders community and enjoyed the connections and interactions it provided. Rodger was a member of the Ghost Mound Motorcycle Club, the Bowlegs Fire Department, and BRASS.

He was preceded in death by his parents, H.E. and Nellie Mills; his son, Tyson Mills; and his brothers, Randy Mills, Rodney Mills, and Ricky Mills.

Rodger is survived by his loving wife, JoAnne, of the home; his sons, Derrick Ishman and Christopher Ishman and wife Kristi; three grandchildren, Garret Ishman, Kairi Ishman, and Lily Ishman; nieces, Toni Oglesby, Trenda Lester and husband Jay, Tonya Wheeler and husband Brian, Randy Carol Modesto and husband Andy, Tammy Davis and husband Robert, Deanna Beverage and husband William, Traci Bradley and husband Charles; nephews, Tim Mills and Wes Lane; sisters-in-law, Judy Lane and husband Gary, Becky Leach, Alice Mills, and Dena Tucker; his Ghost Mound Family, the Bowlegs Fire Department family, and numerous other family members and friends who will cherish his memory.

Services will be held Thursday, November 19, 2026, at Heritage Church in Shawnee. Interment will follow at Little Cemetery in Seminole. Services are under the direction of Swearingen Funeral Home in Seminole.