Jo Mills

Rebecca "Jo" (Patterson) Mills passed peacefully at home on August 2, 2026, just two days after celebrating her 73rd birthday. She was surrounded by the family she loved so fiercely, exactly where she wanted to be.

Jo was born on July 31, 1953 in Anthony, Kansas to Maynard and Betty (Morse) Patterson. She grew up in Anthony and graduated from Chaparral High School.

To know Jo was to know a woman who lived life entirely on her own terms. Long before adulthood, that independent spirit was unmistakable. Her sister, Beth, still laughs about the day their mother made it crystal clear that the girls were not to go down to the neighbors' house. Beth listened. Jo, with a twinkle in her eye and fire in her soul, headed there anyway, fully prepared to accept the consequences when she got home. That story became the perfect metaphor for the life she would go on to live. Stubborn? Absolutely. Independent? Without question. Unwavering? Always.

Before she became a wife and mother, Jo drove truck for Hi Grade Sand. Anyone who worked "out at the pit" knows there are enough stories from those days to fill a book, though many probably would have insisted most of them remain untold. She later worked as a fry cook at Meyers Café before opening the place that so many people simply knew as a home away from home—Jo's Place.

If you grew up anywhere nearby, chances are you've eaten at Jo's Place. Maybe you stopped in for a sprawling chicken fried steak, one of her famous cheeseburgers, a slice of homemade pie, or the cinnamon rolls that people still talk about years later. But the food was only half the experience.

If Jo liked you, there was a good chance you'd leave with a full stomach and a healthy serving of sarcasm. Her wit was quick, her humor wonderfully dry, and her timing impeccable. Around Jo's tables, laughter came just as freely as the coffee.

Even after retirement, she never really stopped taking care of people. Nurses, friends at the local hardware store, the garden center, neighbors, family, and friends all found themselves on the receiving end of warm cinnamon rolls, fresh pies, or her legendary bierocks. People begged for her recipes. They never got them.

Instead, Jo would say, "A little of this, a dash of that...just make it." She didn't own recipe cards because she never needed them. She cooked by instinct, just as she lived by instinct. That was always Jo's way. Sometimes it drove the people who loved her absolutely crazy. It also made her unforgettable. Above everything else, Jo loved her family.

As her daughter, I can say with certainty that she loved deeply, even when life made it difficult. She wasn't always one to say every feeling out loud, but we never questioned how she felt about us. Her love was palpable. It was found in the meals she made, the people she cared for, the sacrifices she quietly carried, and the unwavering loyalty she gave to those she loved. It was a love you didn't have to hear because you could feel it.

Jo is survived by her daughters: Jessica Mills; Ali Weisheit and husband, Stefan; and Kate Dantic. She was a proud grandmother to Kyler Acord and his wife, Billie, and their daughter, Gracie; Zackary Acord; Erica Acord and her boyfriend, Taylor Rainbolt; Sylvan Weisheit; Eden Weisheit; Preston Mills; Cooper Dantic; and Archer Dantic. She is also survived by her beloved sister and lifelong best friend, Beth Barker; her nephews: Mitch Barker and his wife, Michelle, their children Zack Barker and his wife Blayze; Karson Lingerfelt and husband Matthew; Lanie Befort and fiancé Tanner Walker; Maddy Barker; Nate Barker and his wife Kate, their children Julia and Nora; along with many extended family members, dear friends, former customers, and neighbors who became family somewhere along the way.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Betty and George Durant; Maynard Patterson; her sister, Cathy; and her brothers, Stephen and Guy.

Some people leave behind possessions. Jo leaves behind something far more valuable. She leaves stories that will grow better every time they're told. She leaves recipes that no one will ever quite duplicate because they were never written down. She leaves tables where families gathered, laughter that still echoes in memory, and a community that was nourished not only by her cooking, but by her generosity, grit, and unmistakable personality.

If you've ever caught yourself saying, "Remember when Jo...," then you already understand her legacy.

Though life asked more of her than seemed fair at times, Jo met each challenge with unwavering determination and the same stubborn spirit that carried her from childhood through every chapter of her life.

She never did write down those recipes. Maybe she knew all along that what made them special could never be measured. Neither could she.

Rest peacefully, Mom. We will carry your stories, your laughter, your grit, and your love with us always.

Memorial contributions can be made payable to Compassus Hospice of Wichita and can be sent in care of the funeral home.

Celebration of Life is 3:00 p.m. Saturday, August 29, 2026 at Westview Lodge in Harper, Kansas.

Prairie Rose Funeral Homes, 613 W 14th St ~ Harper, Kansas 67058