Dad Psalm 121

----this was a personal privilege to do this although hard.

Druery Carl McMillan, age 84 passed from this life on Friday Sept 27.  He was born in the rural area of ST Joseph Missouri on Dec 25,1928.  He grew up on a farm there with his family. In 1949 the family sold the farm and came to California and settled in Manteca.

 

DC McMillan did basic training at Fort Ord, California in the US Army.  He got out of the Army and then went into teaching after getting a degree from San Jose State College. He taught 6th grade.  He re-entered the Army and retired at the rank of full Colonel , Ordnance Corps.  He married in 1952, the former Patricia Ruth Morgan of Philadelphia, Pa, and they had two children---Druanne and David.  Patricia preceded him in death in 2010.  She was well known in the community for her volunteer work playing the piano and singing for the residents of nursing homes and retirement homes on the MOnterery Peninsula.

 

Col McMillan had a long army career with two combat tours in Viet Nam and was one of the first advisors in 1963 there.  He had overseas tours in Turkey where he served on a joint staff and also several years in Germany where he served as the chief officer of the Tank Plant in Mainz.  His highest military award was the Legion of Merit and Bronze Star with combat device.

 

He retired in 1981 from the Army and lived in Marina , and then received his contractor's license and built a house in Pebble Beach where he lived until 2010.  He lived in the Forest Hill Manor Retirement home which he enjoyed very much.  He dd volunteer work to help low income seniors with their taxes after working for HR Block.

 

He is survived by the Rev. David McMillan,the called Rector of ST Michael and All Angels Anglican Church in Kerrville, Tx, installed by Bishop Mott in Nov ( and a retired army chaplain) who is married to Vanessa McMillan  & also survived by Druanne McMillan , Drue's only daughter, who lives in Aromas, CA and worked as a nurse in the Monterey area for many years.  There are two grandchildren -Andrew Trezise who lives and works at La Pentha in Big Sur as a manager,  and Liv Reiners, a certifiedYoga instructor,  who lives in Germany with her husband Travis,a GS-12 at Vogelbach,  and their two children, Zoey and Storie.

 

Services are at the Forest HIll Manor Retirement Home in Pacific Grove after which his ashes will be laid to rest on the Monterey Bay with full military honors.

 

He will be greatly missed by his family for his wit, humor and love of people who he came into contact with.  Many many thanks are given to the FHM staff on the 1st and 2nd floor for the loving care he received from all of them to include the dining facility and the front desk personnel. Another special mention is to Vicki the Head Nurse at FHM. Special  special mention is to his daughter Druanne who took primary care of him in California for many years and did not fail to honor any of his requests.

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    In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Amen.

 

Psalm 121 talks about the Psalmist who directs our attention and our hope to God Himself.  “ I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills: from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord which made heaven and earth.”  I know that our Dad loved this area .  When he retired from the army, he came back to CA & his roots.  He even worked in Spreckles sugar in the area.  His father was a rural farmer in Missouri, and came to CA .  They both believed in hard work.

 

He loved the hills of the Monterey peninsula,  and while he did not have any church association I am confident he loved the God who made them.

 

Dad knew how to work with people and knew who to work around as well.  He was someone who got things done .That was the full Colonel in him.  He was always asking me if I had done this or that and why I had not done it.  Caught again!

 

He loved his family and of course our mother .  He served our nation well with almost 30 years in the US army with various assignments overseas and in combat as well. He knew what the psalmist was talking about ,” He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: He that keepeth thee shall not slumber.”

 

I know he will be missed by many here as well who got to know his wit and good nature.  I heard from many of you that he would stay and linger at many of the meetings here and be talking with the residents after the others had all left. 

 

We trust that God will keep him.  We believe what the psalmist says about life after death: “ The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.  The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in: from this time forth, and even for evermore.”

 

 

Lord’s Prayer together