HR0959 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0959 LRB101 23445 MST 74735 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of James Michael "Mike" Mills of Murphysboro, who passed away on December 29, 2020; and

WHEREAS, Mike Mills was born in Cape Girardeau, Missouri to Faye and Leon Mills on July 15, 1941; he graduated from Murphysboro Township High School, where he was a member of the 1958 Hall of Fame football team; he graduated from the first class of Dental Technology at Southern Illinois University; and

WHEREAS, Mike Mills founded the Murphysboro Dental Lab in 1963; and

WHEREAS, Mike Mills opened 17th Street Barbecue in 1985; he was later called the "most-revered barbecue restaurateur in America"; he was the barbecue guru at, and a partner in, the Blue Smoke restaurant in New York City and a founding partner in Memphis Championship Barbecue in Las Vegas; and

WHEREAS, Mike Mills earned the moniker "The Legend" in the early 1990s, when he was co-captain of the Apple City Barbecue team, one of the most celebrated teams ever on the circuit; he is known throughout the State of Illinois, the United States, and the world for his legendary barbecue pit master skills; and

WHEREAS, Mike Mills is the co-author of two books, Peace, Love, and Barbecue and Praise the Lard: Recipes and Revelations from a Legendary Life in Barbecue; he was inducted into the Barbecue Hall of Fame in 2010; and

WHEREAS, Mike Mills was an active member in numerous community organizations, including the Elks, Masons, and Shriners; and

WHEREAS, Mike Mills was named a Distinguished Alumni in 2014 by Murphysboro Township High School; and

WHEREAS, Mike Mills was a beloved figure in Southern Illinois, employing hard-working Illinoisans at his restaurants and giving to charity and to his community; his years of dedicated work helped earn his hometown, Murphysboro, the distinction of being named the BBQ Capital of Illinois in 2015 by the Illinois General Assembly; and

WHEREAS, Mike Mills was preceded in death by his siblings, Robert Mills and Jeanette Hudgins; and

WHEREAS, Mike is survived by his children, Amy Jane Mills and Christopher Mills; his grandchildren, Guy W. (Woody) Tunnicliffe III and Faye Landess Tunnicliffe; his siblings, Landess Mills and Mary Pat Mills; his brother-in-law, John Hudgins; and numerous nieces and nephews; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the death and celebrate the life, the contributions, the achievements, and the positive impact that James Michael "Mike" Mills had on the communities of Murphysboro and Marion; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be presented to the family of Mike Mills and to 17th Street BBQ Restaurants in Marion and in Murphysboro as symbols of our deepest sympathy.