Celebrating the Life of Cowboy Russell Tyrone Mills

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Sunrise March 23, 1957 and Sunset August 17, 2019

On March 23, 1957, Ella Louise Edwards Dorsey was blessed with her first born of six children, a handsome baby boy whom she named Russell Tyrone. Robert and Alma Mills were excited to welcome Russell and were proud to become parents. As a village, together they each played a major role in molding Russell to become an intelligent and hardworking young man. Russell joined church at a young age and was baptized at Star Bethel Missionary Baptist Church.

Russell grew up and was educated in the Acres Home Community of Houston, Texas. He attended Bethune Elementary, Charles Richard Drew Middle School and George Washington Carver High School in Aldine ISD where he developed a true love for agriculture. After high school, Russell worked at Houston Lights & Power (HL&P). Seeking greater independence, Russell took a leap of faith and launched his own business, Mills Construction.

At a very young age Russell loved riding horses. He competed in bareback riding and bull riding and steer dogging events throughout the country and was awarded the opportunity to represent in some of the most prestigious rodeos in the nation. Russell entered his 1st rodeo competition in bull riding at the age of 16 years old. In 1981 he won the Bill Pickett International “All Around Cowboy Award.” In 1984 in Gary, Indiana, he set the record in steer dogging with a time of 2.7 seconds and set the record at the Bill Pickett’s Rodeo. In 1989 he won the bare back riding at the final rodeo hosted by Gilley’s. Russell was a true Legend in the cowboy arena. He was a cowboy and truly committed to his western roots. He was a member of Acres Home Riding and Roping Club, Prairie View Trail Riders, Southwestern Trail Riders and Butcher Boys Riding Club.

Russell loved hosting parties and dancing to zydeco and country music. As any true cowboy, Russell loved watching westerns, rodeos and horse riding.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Ella Louise Edwards Dorsey, Robert and Alma Mills; his brothers Carl Dorsey and Kent Lemons.

He is survived by his daughter, LaMetria Carr; siblings: Reginia Tate (Nathaniel), Ernesta Washington (Sylvester), Julia Askew; Kimberly Dorsey, Kenneth Dorsey and Kirk Dorsey; uncles; Joel Rossow, Shedrack Edwards; Aunts: Mary Ann Sanders, Ora Mae Kennedy and Tommie Dale Floyd; nephews: Jowon Askew, Keylon Dorsey and Jaxon Dorsey; nieces: Victoria Okopie and Jade Dorsey: and host other nieces, nephews, relatives and friends who will miss him dearly.