Beatrice Eileen Martin McMillian, 95, passed away Friday, December 25, 2020.
Beatrice was born October 26, 1925 in Jordan, Montana, the daughter of Robert and Florence Martin. She was a graduate of Fergus County High School in Lewistown, Montana, May 1943. Beatrice attended Montana State College in Missoula and Bozeman and graduated from both. She also graduated from the Montana Deaconess Hospital in Great Falls, Montana as a registered nurse in June 1946. She was a member of the Nurses Cadet Corp during World War II. Beatrice worked at Wadsworth Veterans Hospital in Leavenworth, Kansas for two years as a registered nurse in 1945 - 1946 and 1947.
While employed at Wadsworth Veterans Hospital, she met her future husband Ray McMillian in January 1946. He had just returned from the South Pacific war zone, Manila. He was a patient at the Leavenworth Veteran Hospital for four months. Ray and Bea were married July 19, 1947 in a Presbyterian Church in Kansas City, Missouri.
Bea worked at Methodist Medical Center for thirty-three years. She was a Head Nurse on a Medical-Surgical Unit, retiring from the hospital in 1985. After retiring from the hospital she worked part time at Tiffany Square Convalescent Center for 14 years until June, 2000.
Bea and Ray loved to travel and for sixteen years they spent the winter months in their recreational vehicle in 1985 to 2000 in Arizona. Their time in Arizona was greatly enjoyed until Ray's health began failing. Ray passed away May 11, 2009 after 62 years of marriage.
From their marriage they had three sons, Tom (Judy), Bob (Ursula) and Jimmy, all of St. Joseph. Bea also had a stepson Terry (Vicki) of Carson, California. Terry passed away July 4, 2011. Bea has eight grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren and two step-grandchildren.
Bea was predeceased by her parents and three brothers. Bea was an active member of the Community Presbyterian Church for many years. She was also a member of the American Nurses Association, Missouri State Nurses Association and 1st District Nurses Association where she served as Vice President, on the board of directors, secretary and nominating committee. She was an active member of the Pershing School PTA and served as a Den Mother for the Boy Scouts of American for her sons. She was a volunteer at the open-door food kitchen.
Bea was the total caregiver for her husband Ray for five years. Bea was a kind, loving mother, wife, daughter, sister, aunt, grandmother, friend and nurse. She will be missed by many. She loved flowers and enjoyed her beautiful yard of trees, flowers and blooming shrubs. Her very special friend, faithful companion, Tuffy, her Pomeranian dog passed away March 4, 2017.
Services 11:00 AM Thursday at Heaton-Bowman-Smith & Sidenfaden Chapel. Interment Memorial Park Cemetery.
Visitation will be held after 12:00 PM Wednesday at our chapel, where the family will receive friends 6:00 to 8:00 PM Wednesday.
Memorial gifts may be made to Community Presbyterian Church.
