Dean R. McMillen
Dean R. McMillen, 87, passed away Friday at VNA Hospice in Butler surrounded by his loving family.
He was the son of the late M. Raymond and Velora Wahl McMillen.
Mr. McMillen was born in Evans City April 3, 1930, and was a 1948 graduate of Evans City High School.
He married the former Mary Belle Davison, “the prettiest girl in Mars,” on Dec. 6, 1950, in Winchester, Va. Mr. McMillen loved the town of Evans City.
As a youth, he was a bicycle messenger during World War II for air raids. During the war, he was a U.S. Army-Air Force Observer.
He joined the Evans City Volunteer Fire Company in 1948, where he was an active member for more than 35 years. He drove the fire truck and ambulance and was a life member.
He started playing the cornet in fifth grade and played with the high school band for seven years. He played trumpet in the Zelienople Fireman's Band.
He was a life-long member of St. Peter's Lutheran Church, where he was baptized and confirmed. At about age 14, he began serving at St. Peter's Lutheran Church as an usher, bell ringer and greeter and later served on church council, taught Catechism and was president of the Sunday school class for many years.
The church steeple was once covered with slate tiles. The nails holding the tiles had deteriorated and it was feared the tiles would fall and injure someone. Dean was named chairman of the committee to remove the slate and replace it with stainless steel. He was honored to be named Samaritan of the Year in 2004, nominated by Pastor Kenneth Thompson.
He joined the U.S. Navy in 1951 and attained the rank of Machine Repairman First Class. His secondary job classification was Yeoman CT, Petty Officer. While in boot camp, he sang in the Blue Jacket Choir and was on the basketball team. He went to Class A school in San Diego, Calif., and was assigned to the Submarine base in New London, Conn. He served there for two years and was then transferred to Norfolk, Va., aboard the USS Orion, a sub tender.
Mr. McMillen was honorably discharged from the U.S. Navy in 1955 and returned to Armco Steel Corp., where he had been employed upon graduation from high school and was classified as first class machinist. He was in his 45th year with Armco Steel in Butler, working in the machine shop and also as the scale repairman, when he retired in 1992. Mr. McMillen had been elected as employee representative of the machine shop. For several years, Mr. McMillen worked as adviser and coordinator with Junior Achievement at Butler High School, representing Armco Steel Corp.
Mr. McMillen was very civic-minded and was involved with numerous organizations. He joined Rotary International on Jan. 1, 1979, and was the president of the club in 1980, 1983, 1993 and 1997. He became a Paul Harris Fellow in 2009.
He was a 60-year member of the John E. Mair Lodge No. 729 F&AM of Mars and a 32nd degree member of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite Consistory, Valley of New Castle.
He was the third person to become a life member and was Commander of the Bishop-Sharrar American Legion Post 219 in Evans City from 1997 to 2017. For about 20 years, Mr. McMillen was responsible for organizing the Memorial Day program held each year at the Evans City Cemetery.
He was on the original board of the Evans City Water and Sewer Authority and was its first secretary. He was an officer of the Evans City Athletic Association. He served on the board of EDCO Park. He was chairman once, co-chairman twice and was treasurer once of the Seneca Valley After Prom Committee. He served on his high school class reunion committee several times as well.
Mr. McMillen was instrumental in the renovation of the Leone and John Irvine Community Center. He was a trustee and a member of the Evans City Library Board. In addition to coordinating the volunteers, he worked diligently and volunteered more than 8,000 hours until the renovation was complete. One of his greatest honors was to be named the 2012 Butler County Veteran of the Year.
Mr. McMillen enjoyed his family and attended all the activities that his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren participated in. He enjoyed sports and was an avid hunter. He enjoyed traveling and had visited all 50 states.
He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Mary Belle; his four children, eldest son, Larry McMillen and his wife, Joyce, of Pittsburgh, their children, Ryan (Anya) McMillen and their children, Cora and Jonas, Michael (Julie) McMillen and their son, Christian, and Andrew McMillen; second son, Craig and his wife, Nancy, of North Washington, his three daughters, Kelley (Zack) Thompson and their children, Caelynn, Cameron and Carson, Kristin McMillen and Heather McMillen, Nancy's daughters, Heidi (Sadler) Priest and their daughters, Harper and Hazen, Megan (Jeff) Dean and their daughter, Lilly, and Nikki (Chad) Norman; his third son, Scott McMillen and his wife, Roberta, of Sandston, Va., and their children, Tabatha (Joseph) Zarkauskas, and their daughter, Alexa, Jason (Krystal) McMillen and Andrea (Troy) Miller and their son, Henrik; his daughter, Colleen Himmelwright and her husband, Gary, of Zelienople; three nieces, Carol (Louis) Short, Deborah Reed and Lisa (Kenneth) Lloyd; and three great-nieces, one great-nephew and many cousins.
He was preceded in death by his sister, Ardelle Reed and her husband, Vernon; and his daughter-in-law, Mitzi McMillen.
McMILLEN — Friends of Dean R. McMillen, who died Friday, March 2, 2018, will be received from 1 to 3 and 7 to 9 p.m. both Sunday and Monday at Boylan Funeral Home, 116 E. Main St., Evans City.The Masonic service will be held at 6:30 p.m. Monday.Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday at St. Peter's Lutheran Church, 202 Van Buren St., Evans City.He will be laid to rest with military honors at Evans City Cemetery.In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to St. Peter's Lutheran Church, or to the Evans City Library, or to the VNA Western Pennsylvania, or to Honor Flight Pittsburgh, P.O. Box 266, West Sunbury, PA 16061.Expressions of sympathy may be shared with the family at www.boylanfuneralservices.com.
