Doug Millikin, who spent more than 50 years living and volunteering in Huntsville and had been living with his daughter-in-law in Guelph over the past three years, died on Wednesday, February 1, 2023, on his son’s birthday, according to family and friends.
Long-time friend Bob Hutcheson said Millikin, a religious man, often talked about reuniting with his wife and son when he died.
“We used to phone each other every morning because we were living alone and if we didn’t answer the phone we’d call one of the relatives or somebody to go and see whether we were dead, said Hutcheson who is 96.
Millikin was a retired engineer who graduated from Queen’s University. After graduating from Queen’s as a Mechanical Engineer in 1947, Millikin spent the next thirty-five years working with Kimberly-Clark, first as a young engineer, then as a manager and finally as an executive, retiring as a Vice President with Kimberly-Clark International.
Millikin’s first posting was at Kapuskasing, a one-industry town, working for the major employer, Spruce Falls Power and Paper Company, which was half owned by Kimberly-Clark and half owned by the New York Times. He moved to new positions in Niagara Falls and Toronto in the 60s.
In 1969 he was selected as a plans manager for selection, design, and organization of a state-of-the-art tissue manufacturing facility in Huntsville. In 1971, with the start-up of the mill, he was made mill manager, responsible for the entire operation including production, maintenance, engineering, quality and safety – all in a non-union environment using innovative management approaches. At the KC Huntsville 45th anniversary party, one of the original employees observed that Millikin had made a point of knowing not only the names of each employee but the names of their family members, too!
Both Doug and his wife Doris (Dorrie) were active volunteers in Huntsville. Millikin became a member of the Hospital Board, becoming the building chairman, and then vice-chairman, and was actively engaged in the selection and construction of the new hospital.
Although his career took Doug and his family to Corinth, Mississippi, and Niagara-on-the Lake, he retained his beloved Pan Abode cedar home on Lake Vernon.
In 1980, as vice-president of Kimberly-Clark International, he coordinated high-tech programs in England, Canada and the US until his retirement in January of 1982. In 1982, he returned to Huntsville and established an economic development consulting practice. One of his assignments took him to Thailand for seven weeks!
Back in Huntsville, Millikin became involved with Rotary once more. He became chairman of the Heritage Board and was the founding chairman of the Huntsville District Memorial Hospital Foundation.
He found his spiritual home – and a warm volunteer community – at All Saints’ Anglican Church. Into his 90s, he continued to organize the Men’s Breakfast and sing bass in the choir.
Music was a huge part of Millikin’s life. He enjoyed his time singing with his barbershop quartet, in the choir at All Saints’, with the Muskoka Music Men and the Huntsville Community Choir. He credited Sherisse Stevens with helping him to sing in his nineties, better than ever before! He loved all kinds of music, especially Big Band, and was a regular at the Etwell Concert Series.
“He thought that music was one of God’s greatest gifts to him,” recalled Hutcheson.
Another one of Millikin’s passions involved flying. “Doug’s passion was flying and he owned a Mooney aircraft at one point. He had a flight simulator set up in his basement so that he could fly around the world in different kinds of aircraft. This amused him greatly. We would talk each day about where he had flown, he tried to fly different kinds of aircraft on a simulator and when he was dying he said he was coming in for his last landing and trying to control it carefully,” noted Hutcheson.
He said his friend made a good impression on the people he met. “Everybody describes him as the sweetest person they ever knew. He was always kind to everybody no matter what they did,” he added. He was also quite the gentleman and insisted on giving a rose to any lady who helped him out.
Millikin was a staunch supporter of the Huntsville Dyers Memorial. With the support of good neighbours, he also spearheaded the donation of eight acres of land on Bayshore Blvd. to the Muskoka Conservancy, to create Pileated Ridge Nature Reserve.
In 2019, exactly 50 years after moving to Huntsville, he moved to Guelph to help his daughter-in-law care for his son Keith, who was dying of cancer. He enjoyed being closer to his great-grandchildren and quickly made connections with a local barbershop group.
A funeral service will be held at St. George’s Anglican Church in Guelph on Saturday, February 25th at 1 PM with a reception to follow at the Gilbert MacIntyre & Son Funeral Home. The family is hoping to arrange for live streaming of the service. Muskoka friends will have an opportunity to gather for a Celebration of Life in Huntsville in August.
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We have just received the news that Doug passed away while we are vacationing in Florida.
Doug was our next door neighbour for over 20 years in Huntsville. Needless to say he was the best neighbour and friend we ever had and most likely would be the best neighbor anyone could ever have ,anywhere. we considered Doug was a most kind caring and helpful person and an honor to have known him for some 45 years. Our condolences to Brenda, Colleen, and family. He will be missed by all and we shall always cherish the times we spent with Doug and Dori and we’re grateful to have a known them.
I met Doug over 30 years ago. His kindness, his smile, his sharing of knowledge was simply natural and delightful. He was a mentor. While it is sad to see him go, he will be present always. Condolences to his family.
Doug as a kind and generous man and a wonderful Founding Chair and supporter of Huntsville Hospital. In September 2021 he visited us with a kind donation in honour of his friend Bob Hutcheson. He wanted to thank Bob for letting him stay at his home while recovering from surgery. We so enjoyed the in person visit, Doug’s quick wit and sense of humour and of course his wonderful stories! That special twinkle in his eyes will be missed.
Katherine and Team at HHF
A good friend and a real asset to Huntsville.
What a wonderful person and a wonderful life. Doug was not only a neighbour and friend but a personal inspiration to me, he made me a better man. We worked closely on the All Saints News Letter. Sympathies to his family, he was a treasure and he will be missed.
Blessings.
We are so sorry for this loss of a beloved Huntsville icon. Doug and Kimberly-Clark were great supporters of the Huntsville Rotary Club musicals for many years. Doug was always such a gentleman…so helpful…so kind…so talented. We shall never forget his performances in the barbershop quartet and his wonderful sense of humour..
Our sincere condolences to Doug’s family.
John and Sonja Garlick
Doug was an incredible person. I met him at KC in the early 70’s and we stayed friends with a shared passion for flying.
I shall miss him. He left a mark on Huntsville that will long outlast him.
It is with such sadness in my heart I think of this world without this very special man. I was often the recipient of the red rose Doug associated with Dorrie and his great love for her.
To Brenda, Colleen and the entire family my deepest sympathy for the loss of the family patriarch.
But, I must smile, for that wonderful couple are once again back together. May they rest in harmony.
Your All Saints Church family will greatly miss you, Doug. Thank you for all you gave and for your legacy of faith!
Happy memories of Doug and Dorrie, they were always a pleasure to meet.
In the 70’s my husband Eric worked at K C, he really respected Doug’s knowledge, his memory and friendship.
My condolences Colleen, your father was a special man!
Sincerely
Ann Hutley
A truly great gentleman. When we moved to Huntsville over 30 years ago Doug was one of the ‘seniors’ that welcomed us into the community. I never met Doug that he didn’t have a warm greeting and something nice to say.
My thoughts to the family on the death of a wonderful, kind dear friend, you will be greatly missed.
We loved you dearly and are thankful you had a wonderful long life well lived life full of love.
June and Tom Banks
Condolences to you, Colleen and the rest of your family. I know my Dad enjoyed helping with those men’s breakfasts, too.
I am so grateful for knowing Doug and calling him a friend. His warm smile and kindness will never be forgotten. My sincere condolences to his family
Just this past June, Doug sent us a youtube link of Wynton Marsalis and Eric Clapton doing a version of A Closer Walk with Thee. He commented on Clapton’s excellent guitar solo and compared the drummer to Gene Krupa, who we both had had the pleasure of seeing live ( on separate occasions)many years ago. How many 97 year olds would have an appreciation or even know about Eric Clapton. Whenever he attended one of our concerts, he would always accept the invitation to dance with any of the ladies who invited him to. A truly unique and warm, wonderful man.
I expect that Doug is up there now continuing the long conversations with my dad, Geoff Ascah. We were decidedly grateful that when my dad had to go to Gravenhurst for eye appointments, his much younger friend drove him there and back again! Dad was already in his 90s and Doug, his much younger friend, wasn’t much behind. Gave me a good chuckle
Doug did say, at my dad’s funeral, that he really appreciated talking about having to adjust to the death of a beloved spouse.
So enjoy all the wonderful memories and stories of a great man!
Doug was a wonderful friend, active and engaged until the very end. A life well lived. We shall miss him.