Chance Conlin Millin was born in Bend, Oregon, on May 18, 1983, to Gary and Dana Millin of Powell Butte, Oregon. He went home to Jesus on Sunday, June 19, 2022, after a courageous battle with a lengthy illness.
Chance grew up on a ranch in Powell Butte. He learned to ride and rope at a young age. His fort making skills were impressive and could be found all over the place. He irrigated with his dad and was a “little man” right from the start. He worked a summer working for Wogman Ranches when he was twelve, and, also for his grandparents at their ranch in Paulina, where he helped hay.
Chance competed in PeeWee, Cayuse Jr. Rodeo, High School, and College, competing in team roping and calf roping. He began riding saddle bronc horses at age 17. Chance qualified for the National High School Rodeo Finals in 2000 and 2001 in the bronc riding at Springfield, Illinois, and Farmington, New Mexico, respectively. Chance started his own cowherd with the help of his Grandpa Pat. Chance graduated in 2002 and then went to college at Blue Mountain Community College on a rodeo scholarship. He went to amateur rodeos the next year and then filled his PRCA permit at Coulee City, Washington. He continued riding broncs for several years winning Prineville, Joseph, and Roseburg, Oregon rodeos, as well, as being selected as one of the Marlboro bronc riders and made a trip to Jackson Hole, WY for a photo shoot.
He met his future wife, Nikki Otley, at the Burns Rodeo in 2003. They married in January 2009, in Reno, Nevada. They were a great pair working very hard, breaking colts and making quality horses.
Crae Robert Millin was welcomed to their family on February 23, 2011. Chance had qualified for the Ram National Circuit Finals in Florida. He chose not to go because Crae was to be born shortly and he didn’t want to miss his birth. Cy Richard was born on November 30, 2012. Chance was a great dad to his boys and loved them dearly. He taught them to love Jesus, ride, and rope at a young age, and to look people in the eye and shake their hand. He taught them the important things of life.
Chance kept busy training horses, day working for different ranches in Ft. Rock, Silver Lake, Paisley, and Lakeview. Chance managed the Soldiers Meadow Ranch in Gerlach, Nevada, which was his dream job. He told his dad, “Can you believe I get paid for doing this job?” Chance was a natural with a horse and sold many nice horses at horse sales and privately. He continued building his cowherd and had leased properties around the area.
When diagnosed in December of 2019, his friends organized the “Ain’t Easy Being Pals” benefit for him in a month’s time, which was a huge blessing to his family. Chance was a good friend to others, and others were good friends to him.
Chance loved to trade horses, pickups, guns, and everything else, even exchanging horse trailers in the middle of the highway. They left Nevada in January of 2021 and bought property in New Pine Creek, Oregon. Chance spent many hours day working for the J Spear Ranch, and building an arena, round pen, and tack room on his own place while fighting his disease.
Chance knew Jesus at a young age, and he relied heavily on his faith and relationship with God. As the disease progressed, Chance was determined to beat it and believed that he would. God brought him through many challenges throughout this journey. Chance is now riding the high country with Jesus.
Chance is survived by his wife, Nikki, and his two sons, Crae and Cy Millin, parents, Gary and Dana Millin, sister, Presley Smith, and mother-in-law, Peggy Otley, along with numerous relatives. He was preceded in death by maternal grandparents, Pat and Naida Miller, paternal grandparents, Ray and Louise Millin, as well as father-in-law, Dick Otley.
A celebration of life will be held, Tuesday, June 28, at l:00 p.m. at the Lake County Fairgrounds in Lakeview, Oregon, followed by a dinner provided by the family, but they ask if you can bring a dessert. A private family committal will take place at New Pine Creek cemetery.
Memorial contributions can be made in Chance’s memory to the charity of the donor’s choice.
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