Loyd M. Mcmillen

Loyd Merle McMillen, one of six children of Jessie Pearl (Lyon) and Paul Ray McMillen, was born on July 11, 1916 in rural Logan, Iowa. Loyd graduated from Logan High School in 1933 and began a career in farming and raising dairy cattle.
On November 17, 1940, Loyd and Bernice Louise Hilmer, affectionately known as "Susie", were married at the Lutheran parsonage in Terrill, Iowa. They engaged in dairy farming near the communities of Logan and Woodbine, Iowa and during these years, their marriage was blessed with five children, Stanley Gene, Larry Russell, Lowell Dean, Myrna Marie and Linda Irene. Loyd served as president of the Harrison County Farm Bureau for several years, was president of the Boyer Township School Board, and was a 4-H Leader.
In 1961, the family moved to a farm west of Malvern, Iowa where Loyd continued in dairy farming. Loyd and Susie and their children were active members of St. John's Lutheran Church, rural Hastings, Iowa. Loyd was on the church board as well as a member of the choir. He also served on the Mills County Extension Board and continued as a 4-H Leader.
In 1967, Loyd and Susie moved to Marshalltown, Iowa where he began working for Marshall Farm Service until his retirement in 1986. Loyd and Susie were members of the Trinity Church in Marshalltown where Loyd sang in the choir. He enjoyed being a part of the community and was a member of the men's community chorus. He also enjoyed bowling and playing golf in his spare time, and he and Susie enjoyed traveling to the many special events of their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Loyd and Susie returned to Malvern in 1998, where they made their home at the Malvern Village. In August 2001, Susie sustained a fractured vertebra from a fall and moved to the Manor of Malvern in October of that year. Loyd and Susie had been married 63 years at the time of her death at the Manor on February 28, 2004. Loyd continued to make his home at the Malvern Village, and with the aid of a scooter, enjoyed having morning coffee downtown with his friends.
Due to failing health, Loyd moved to the Tabor Manor in Tabor, Iowa in June 2009. He passed away at the Jennie Edmundson Hospital in Council Bluffs, Iowa on December 3, 2009. He had attained the age of 93 years, 4 months, and 22 days. He was preceded in death by his parents; wife Susie; son Stanley McMillen; great grandson Tovya Ibitayo; brother Lawrence McMillen; sisters, Lois Cain and Ada Wheeler and husband Andy; brother-in-law Harold McIntosh; and sister-in-law Eva McMillen.
Loyd is survived by his children, Larry McMillen and wife Carol of Merrill, IA, Lowell McMillen and wife Rose of Westminster, CA, Myrna Leu and husband Melvin of Malvern, Linda Wooten and husband Harry of Sun City West, AZ; daughter-in-law Margot McMillen of Longview, TX; 15 grandchildren; 36 great grandchildren; brother Jack McMillen; and sister Mildred McIntosh of Logan; nieces and nephews; other relatives and many friends.