Frances Lillian Shuffield

Frances Lillian Mills Shuffield, of Midland, passed away on Friday, October 3, 2014 surrounded by her family. The family will receive friends on Monday, October 6, 2014 from 6:00 PM -8:00 PM at Nalley-Pickle & Welch Funeral Home in Midland. Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, October 7, 2014 at 10:00 AM at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Midland with Pastor Danny Anderson officiating.Frances was born on November 12, 1926 at home on a farm in Pflugerville, TX to August and Helen Mills, the fourth child in the family, after her brother Conway, sister Mildred, and brother August, Jr. She attended Gregg Elementary School (where she graduated 3rd highest in the country from among all the 7th grade schools), and Manor and Pflugerville High Schools, completing her education in 11th grade at the age of 16.After she finished school, Frances married Mark Pelham, and in 1951 they had their first child, Diana Marie, followed by Marcus Lee four years later, in 1955. While she was married to Mark, she had already begun to work–first in the transportation department at Ft. Clark where Mark was stationed, and next at the Travis County Draft Board, when the couple moved to Austin after Mark's discharge, where she eventually became head of the payroll section. After leaving work to have her children, she returned to work at the Travis County Tax Assessor-Collector's office, where she remained for 10 years, becoming assistant to the chief assessor.In 1964, she and Mark divorced, and in May of 1966 she married present husband Joe Shuffield. Shortly after they married, the couple answered a call to work in the Midland City Tax Office Appraisal Section. The family moved to Midland, and in 1967 Frances gave birth to her third child, Joseph, Jr.Frances continued to work, moving from the city to the county, where she became the Chief Deputy Tax Assessor. In 1980, she ran unopposed for the office of Midland County Tax Assessor–a position she held unopposed until she retired in 1992. In 1981, Governor Bill Clements appointed her to serve on the new Texas Board of Tax Professional Examiners, where she helped establish the standards and certification requirements for persons entering the taxing jurisdictions.Although she had a long, distinguished career, Frances was always an adventurous spirit who loved to travel and to be surrounded by the beauty of Nature. She and Joe built a cabin in Cloudcroft, New Mexico, which became a retreat for the entire family, and the location for many family adventures. She also loved camping, and together she and Joe and her children made trips all over the United States; some of her personal favorites included the Grand Canyon, Glacier National Park, Niagara Falls, and Banff and Lake Louise in Canada. Her life was centered on her family, whom she loved very, very much. She and Joe shared their life and were very close to each other all their years together.She is survived by her husband, Joe Shuffield of Midland; daughter, Diana and Rick Huntington of Cleburne, TX; son, Marcus and Debra Pelham of Midland; and son, Joseph Shuffield and Jason Gomez of Austin, TX. Her grandchildren, Russell and Christi Huntington, Joshua Pelham, and Jacob Pelham, and great-grandchildren Madeline, Alaina, and Tyler Huntington.She is preceded in death by her parents August and Helen Mills, her brothers Conway Roland Mills and August Mills, Jr., and her sister Mildred Norma Mills.Pallbearers will be Joshua Pelham, Jacob Pelham, Russell Huntington, Eddie Duvall, Honorable Dan Mills and Jack Mills. Honorary pallbearers will be Ted Schmidt, John Reese, Bob Hejl, and Wilburn Long.The family would like donations to be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN, 38105 or to the Salvation Army at www.websa@salvationarmy.org.Arrangements are under the direction of Nalley-Pickle & Welch Funeral Home & Crematory of Midland. Online condolences can be made at www.npwelch.com.,