Mildred Halford Council

Mildred “Millie” Council, age 58, passed away unexpectedly on March 12, 2026. She was born on February 7, 1968, at Methodist Dallas Medical Center in Dallas, Texas, to Eva Irene Halford and Benny Halford.

Millie grew up in the Mabank area and attended Mabank High School until the age of 16, when she began working at the Mabank Truck Stop. Even from a young age, Millie’s kindness, determination, and unwavering heart for others were evident to everyone around her.

Her lifelong passion for helping others began at Sunflower Park in Kaufman, where she discovered her calling in healthcare. Millie’s compassion and dedication carried her through a career devoted to enriching the lives of countless residents and families. After earning her Activity Director License at Spring Seasons of Dallas, she worked in both Social Work and Activities across several nursing homes and rehabilitation facilities, always leaving a lasting impression on those she cared for. Millie eventually found her professional home at Seagoville Manor, where she devoted 15 years to nurturing residents and forming deep, meaningful bonds with both staff and families. Her love for people was evident in every smile she shared, every hand she held, and every life she touched.

In 1995, Millie met Jeff Council at Presbyterian Hospital, where she was a patient and he an employee. Their love blossomed quickly, and they married on November 26, 1996. Together they blended their family of Jeffrey Lynn Council Jr., Desaree Harkness, and Dustin Harkness. They were later blessed with two beautiful daughters, Daylyn Council and Jennifer Council-Gray, and in 2021 they lovingly took guardianship of Alexis Campbell, completing their family. Millie’s love for her children, grandchildren, and extended family was boundless, and she poured her heart into every moment spent with them.

Millie’s greatest joy came from the simple pleasures of life: being outdoors at the family ranch in Kemp, Texas, fishing, hunting, gardening, crafting, and sharing laughter and stories with loved ones. She treasured family traditions, celebrated milestones with wholehearted joy, and had an extraordinary ability to make everyone feel loved and valued. To know Millie was truly to experience unconditional love and warmth.

Millie was preceded in death by her father, Benny Halford, her beloved sons, Jeffrey Lynn Council Jr. “JJ” and Dustin Harkness, and brother-in-law Jimmy Council. 

She leaves behind her devoted husband of 29 years, Jeff Council of Kaufman, Texas; her daughters Desaree Harkness and husband Jeff of Birmingham, Alabama, Daylyn Council of Kaufman, Jennifer Council-Gray and husband Aaron, and Alexis Campbell. She also leaves

six cherished grandchildren: Myra Moyeda, Angelina Moyeda, Theresa Moyeda, Hailey Moyeda, Jaylen Jackson, and Jacey Gray.

Millie is also survived by her mother, Eva Irene Halford; her sister, Stephanie Chrisco and husband Jim; her brother, Richard Halford and wife Cassie; sister-in-laws Barbara Council-Day and Judith Ward; along with numerous nieces, nephews, extended family, and countless friends who will forever remember her light and love.

Millie’s life was a testament to the power of kindness, generosity, and love. She touched everyone she met with her laughter, her gentle spirit, and her unwavering heart. Her love, laughter, and gentle spirit will forever remain in our hearts, guiding us and reminding us of the joy she brought to every life she touched.