- Date Of Birth: October 11, 1929
- Date Of Death: November 3, 2022
- State: Massachusetts
He brought light, joy, humility, dignity, and a fierce human compassion for everything. The final days were hard and we would ask how he feels: “GREAT, G-R-A-T-E, GREAT!
We knew he grew up poor and fought hard to become who he was and with his bride, Barbara, to raise the Milligan clan. He never said that to us. We learned that through others. A lesson for all of us.
He gave endlessly to the Town of Needham.
He had a fierce love for Barbara – and we may add for color perhaps a bit of fear of her as well. In Barbara’s last years when she was lost to dementia, he would sit with her and hold her hand and remind her of their love: “My beautiful bride” and reminisce of when they met and fell in love at “Jane’s” restaurant in Newton.
He had a great left hook a la Tom Heinsohn. He named their boat, “Boat,” and rammed it into fixed islands with one marooning at low tide on Monomoy, baffling the Coast Guard.
He let Nathaniel, his young great-grandson, take him to breakfast – he knew what brought joy to others.
And now he is bringing that infectious joy and fierce light to heaven. We can only imagine his embrace with Barbara, Eddie, Kathleen, and Mark. He would mostly ask questions: he was curious and generous that way. More mayor than emcee.
During one of the last times we were all together, he got tired at the end and asked us to leave so he could rest.
Dad: Every day we will try to bring your optimism, good humor, curiosity and compassion to each moment. We learned from you. We love you. We are awestruck by you.
It was less a dark and stormy night and more a life of wonder for everyone blessed to know you. Indeed. “And then some.”
Your loving children, grandchildren, and great-children.
