Ina Bernadine Milburn
February 4, 1934 ~ June 13, 2021 (age 87) 87 Years Old
Tribute
Ina Bernadine (Hollenbeck) Milburn was born February 4, 1934 in Mason City, Nebraska. She was the first of three children born to Wayward E. and Meredith Valdine (Samp) Hollenbeck.
Her early years were spent living with her family on the Samp Homestead near the Sandhills of Nebraska.
When her grandparents moved to Idaho in the early 40’s dustbowl days, her family relocated, too. They lived in Cascade, Idaho and Ontario, Oregon. After three or four years, they moved to Missouri. In 1945/46, they settled in Thomas Hill, Missouri.
Bernadine began her education in Mason City, Nebraska, and attended school in Ontario. She started High School in August 1947 at Thomas Hill, Missouri, and the school was consolidated with Clifton Hill High School in 1950. She graduated having been the Senior Class President, Co-Captain of the Girl’s Basketball Team (winning season 20-4!), voted “most flirtatious girl”, a member of the school Chorus and class Salutatorian.
Bernadine and David Milburn were wed on December 30, 1951, and married for 69 ½ years! Their three children, Kara (1955), Kevin (1957) and Leah (1959) were born in Missouri.
Bernadine accompanied David to his Army posting at Fort Huachuca, Arizona, in 1952 for six months before he was shipped overseas.
For the next 16 months, she worked at the Ford Airplane plant in Wichita and lived with three other friends and military wives in Kansas City.
She and David moved to Arizona, first to Chandler in 1962, then to Yuma on the 4th of July, 1964 - the hottest part of summer!
Bernadine was the secretary for their church, 1st Southern Baptist, for many years. She was also in the choir.
When the new junior college, Arizona Western College, was completed, she held many positions. She was in charge of the switchboard operators, mailroom, accounts payable and was the Procurement Officer supervising the bid process for construction of new dorms.
If it happened on campus, she knew all about it.
Even after she and David were retired and “snowbirds” themselves, she did her one day a year “work” to maintain her insurance on campus, cleaning the Agriculture Department greenhouse or chaperoning the Seniors on a Rock Hound Day trip.
Bernadine and David retired to the family farm that was begun by her grandparents Samp. Her parents lived there and her mom still lived right across the driveway.
She loved to garden and spend hours in the yard, canning and preserving the produce and always had bouquets of her flowers in the house. Bernadine enjoyed the sense of family history connected to the place. There were nearby relatives and old and new friends.
She was lucky to live surrounded by all she loved and those who loved her until she left this earth on Sunday, June 13, just as service was about to start.
She joined those waiting for her in heaven. Her beloved great grandparents, grandparents, parents and “little” sister, Linda, are holding her hands now.
She is survived by her husband, David; children - Kara, Kevin & Leah (Gary); 3 grandchildren - Brittany (Josh), Cameron (Hailey), Delaney (Mike) and 7 great grandchildren; brother Dan (Donna) and their children, Todd and Tracey; and her nephew Jeff (Jamie). She was especially fond of Eric and Annie Roberts and their 3 children - Gunner, Tripp and Dakota.
Her early years were spent living with her family on the Samp Homestead near the Sandhills of Nebraska.
When her grandparents moved to Idaho in the early 40’s dustbowl days, her family relocated, too. They lived in Cascade, Idaho and Ontario, Oregon. After three or four years, they moved to Missouri. In 1945/46, they settled in Thomas Hill, Missouri.
Bernadine began her education in Mason City, Nebraska, and attended school in Ontario. She started High School in August 1947 at Thomas Hill, Missouri, and the school was consolidated with Clifton Hill High School in 1950. She graduated having been the Senior Class President, Co-Captain of the Girl’s Basketball Team (winning season 20-4!), voted “most flirtatious girl”, a member of the school Chorus and class Salutatorian.
Bernadine and David Milburn were wed on December 30, 1951, and married for 69 ½ years! Their three children, Kara (1955), Kevin (1957) and Leah (1959) were born in Missouri.
Bernadine accompanied David to his Army posting at Fort Huachuca, Arizona, in 1952 for six months before he was shipped overseas.
For the next 16 months, she worked at the Ford Airplane plant in Wichita and lived with three other friends and military wives in Kansas City.
She and David moved to Arizona, first to Chandler in 1962, then to Yuma on the 4th of July, 1964 - the hottest part of summer!
Bernadine was the secretary for their church, 1st Southern Baptist, for many years. She was also in the choir.
When the new junior college, Arizona Western College, was completed, she held many positions. She was in charge of the switchboard operators, mailroom, accounts payable and was the Procurement Officer supervising the bid process for construction of new dorms.
If it happened on campus, she knew all about it.
Even after she and David were retired and “snowbirds” themselves, she did her one day a year “work” to maintain her insurance on campus, cleaning the Agriculture Department greenhouse or chaperoning the Seniors on a Rock Hound Day trip.
Bernadine and David retired to the family farm that was begun by her grandparents Samp. Her parents lived there and her mom still lived right across the driveway.
She loved to garden and spend hours in the yard, canning and preserving the produce and always had bouquets of her flowers in the house. Bernadine enjoyed the sense of family history connected to the place. There were nearby relatives and old and new friends.
She was lucky to live surrounded by all she loved and those who loved her until she left this earth on Sunday, June 13, just as service was about to start.
She joined those waiting for her in heaven. Her beloved great grandparents, grandparents, parents and “little” sister, Linda, are holding her hands now.
She is survived by her husband, David; children - Kara, Kevin & Leah (Gary); 3 grandchildren - Brittany (Josh), Cameron (Hailey), Delaney (Mike) and 7 great grandchildren; brother Dan (Donna) and their children, Todd and Tracey; and her nephew Jeff (Jamie). She was especially fond of Eric and Annie Roberts and their 3 children - Gunner, Tripp and Dakota.
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