Eileen Marie Milner

Eileen Marie Milner, 98, of Traverse City passed away peacefully on March 1, 2024 at Bay Ridge Assisted Living Center.

Eileen was born on January 29, 1926 to the late Julius Emmanual and Ellen (Courtade) Kratochvil. She was born and raised on the family farm on Secor Road. After finishing high school in 1943 she attended Henry Ford Hospital School of Nursing and graduated on March 3, 1947. She served her country as a member of the United States Cadet Nurse Corps, where she made a number of lifelong friends.

While living in Detroit she met Robert (Bob) Edwin Milner and they married on October 15, 1949. Eileen worked as a Registered Nurse until the births of their three daughters and returned to nursing when her girls were older. Together Eileen and Bob shared 58 happy years before he passed in 2007.

In 1986 Eileen and Bob enlarged their long-time summer cabin on Long Lake and retired to Traverse City. Eileen enjoyed participating in a variety of local clubs and bowling leagues and loved to play cards. She was an active member of St. Patrick Catholic Church.

She remained physically active, amazing everyone by cross country skiing, kayaking, and regular walking well into her 80s. She had memorized various classic poems in grade school and could still recite them into her 90s. She and Bob loved to travel, taking many trips to see daughters, family, and friends all over the country. Throughout her life she creatively practiced sewing, knitting, gardening, and painting projects. She was also an avid home decorator, making drapes, upholstering furniture, and wallpapering whatever anyone would allow her to. Eileen was a very social person and a great teller of real-life stories. Everyone who knew her loved her.

Eileen was preceded in death by her husband, parents, and siblings Richard, Clara McManus, Naomi Benton, and Charles. She is survived by her daughters Katherine (Lawrence) Cole, Robin (Daryl) Patrishkoff, Barbara (Ronald) Langley, and her stepdaughter Marlaine (Jack) McLeod. Also surviving are her sister Louella Wilson of Green Bay, four grandchildren, three great grandchildren, and many loving nieces and nephews.

Eileen's family would like to thank the staffs of Bay Ridge Assisted Living Center and Hospice of Michigan for providing outstanding and compassionate care during her last years.

A memorial service will be held on Monday, May 20, 2024 a 3 pm at Reynolds Jonkhoff Funeral Home..

Her remains will rest in Oakwood Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in her honor may be directed to Hospice of Michigan or the Women's Resource Center.