Joseph Henry Millard (Joe) passed away on January 9, 2022 after an extended illness. He was born on March 12, 1936 at home near Oakley, Idaho to Joseph Henry Millard Sr. and Edith Hazel (Stowers) Millard. He met his lifelong love, Arlene Stimpson, in Paul, Idaho in 1955 and they celebrated their 65th year of marriage on December 21, 2021. Joe and Arlene had four children together. Pamela (Mark) Edwards from Pocatello, ID; Judy (Doug) Holladay from Nampa, ID; Lourie (Jim) Carrie from Kuna, ID; and Ricky (Jodi) Millard from Nampa, ID. He had 16 grandchildren, and 32 great grandchildren. Joe and Arlene began their life together in Paul, ID and their children were all born in the Burley, ID. Joe managed a Cowboy Oil gas station in Burley ID. Later he began a career at Boise Cascade where he worked for 42 years. In 1969, the company transferred him to Nampa, ID where they spent the remainder of their life together with most of his family residing in the Nampa area. His daughter Lourie was very proud to work with him for 16 years, and after his retirement his son took his place working at Boise Cascade and still works there. Joe was happiest when he was surrounded by his family. He enjoyed having family gatherings at his home and going on camping trips in many of the beautiful camping sites in Idaho. When he was young, they made yearly trips in the fall to hunt for deer with Arlene's parents and cousins. Fishing was always included in camping trips with family. Some of their camping trips were at the City of Rocks in the South Hills where Joe taught his kids to hunt and roast pinecones, make watercress sandwiches, identify rock structures, and climb Bathtub Rock. Joe taught his children to be responsible, respectful people and most of his life he not only worked at his full-time job but had part-time ventures (such as mowing lawns, rototilling garden spaces and hay bailing) so his children were not only provided for, but his children remember that "every Christmas they got whatever they asked for." He taught his children to have a good work ethic and all of them began by helping him with his small business jobs where they worked hard and made a small income. The family traveled often from Nampa to Paul, Idaho to visit Grandpa and Grandma Stimpson. Joe's daughter Pam was a new driver, and he would take turns driving on the trip. There was an established rule that the driver got to choose the music on the radio, so if Joe was driving it was always country western music and if Pam was driving there was always rock and roll music blasting in the car. There was frequently claims by both of them that a rock and roll song was really written and performed by a country western singer when Pam drove, while Pam claimed that she had heard a country western song sang by one of her favorite rock and roll bands. Joe and Arlene were on bowling leagues together for many years and played Pinochle together with friends and family. He loved reading Louis Lamour books and watching old westerns TV programs. As his health declined last year, his recliner and western TV programs have kept him entertained. Joe loved gardening and each year he spent hours before and after work growing a beautiful garden that he shared with many of his family members. It was easy to see that his health was declining last summer when he only planted pumpkins in his garden for his grandchildren and great grandchildren. Instead of walking out to the garden, he began using his riding lawn mower to check on its progress every day. He also loved to talk about his childhood which was fun for his children and grandchildren because his childhood was much different than all of ours. He was the third child in a family of seven and was born in a stone house where they lived on a farm in the south hills of the Burley Idaho area. The times were hard, the winters were cold, and all the children worked alongside his parents using horse-drawn plows instead of tractors. He had countless stories that were fascinating to anyone who hadn't experienced that type of life. Joe always had open arms when his family needed help. He and his wife provided their upstairs rooms to several of their grandchildren and others for a short time while they navigated their way to independence. Joe's Nampa children were always close by to make sure he got the many medical appointments that he had this last year, and Judy and Jodie took Arlene to the hospital, where they stayed all evening when he made his final visit. He had many of his children and grandchildren close by to say good-bye and wish him well. Joe was loved by many and will be missed by all; he had a long and full life and now he is kicking up his heals and is no longer suffering. To view the services please go to: oneheartonemindnampa.org (sponsored by the Nampa South Stake) then go to the Ruth Building
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