John, 91, passed away peacefully on Monday, June 17 2024, at Grace Manor – Holland Christian Homes in Brampton, Ontario.
John was born on September 15, 1932 to Reverend Dr. Frederick Samuel Milliken and Agnes Jean Shanks in Ottawa, Ontario. Brother to Keith Milliken (Joan Brown) both predeceased and Kay Elton (Geoff Elton) both predeceased. Growing up, John was a talented multi-sport athlete, playing football, basketball, and tennis. After John graduated from Lisgar Collegiate he went on to study at Queens University. His talents were noticed by many, resulting in him playing varsity basketball and football at Queens and being drafted by the BC Lions.
While working over the summer at Lake Louise as a university student, he met Eleanor Mary Angus. The pair had an instant connection and went on to enjoy a loving 68 year marriage. After living in Toronto, the pair moved to Sault Ste Marie to pursue their careers in teaching. John spent 10 years as a math teacher, football coach, and basketball coach at Sault Collegiate Institute before relocating to Sudbury to further his career with The Ministry of Education. John and Eleanor went on to have 3 children, Ross (Louise Poloni), Bruce (Rosane Muniz de Oliveira) and Sheila (Tony DiViesti). Their years in Sault Ste. Marie and Sudbury are most memorable for the remarkable group of lifelong friends they made. Many laughs were shared amidst tennis matches, golf games and bridge, or sharing travel adventures around the world. After his retirement from teaching and coaching, John took on a new group of pupils. His grandchildren Aaron, Tyler, Ryley, Clare, Stephanie, Vivian, Gabriel, Kathryn, and Laura share fond memories of spending summers with Grandpa and Grandma up at the family camp near Parry Sound answering math quizzes and having their grammar corrected from “yah” to “yes”. John was also a loving great-grandfather to Quinn, Axel, and Hayden. He remained a principled teacher to us all.
John will be missed by many, but his impact as a beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, uncle, teacher and coach has shaped us all and left us with guiding principles, a lifetime of cherished memories and laughter. The family would like to extend their deepest appreciation to the staff at Grace Manor and Heike Gonze for their wonderful care and support for John towards the end of his life.
Cremation has taken place and a celebration of life will be held in the future. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Queens University- Centre for Neuroscience Studies Fund.
Condolences for the family may be offered at EganFuneralHome.com.
Mark Matijevich
Rest in Peace COACH.
Clare Ann Greco
Dear Eleanor and Family,
I am sorry for your loss.
With heartfelt sympathy,
Clare Ann Greco (CFUW Sudbury)
Janet McCormack
Our sincere condolences on the passing of your father.
Sheila Proteau
Sheila, Tony and family. I am so sorry to hear about the loss of your dad. He sounds like he was an amazing person. I know the pain of losing a parent and I send you my deepest condolences.
Ellen and Chris Ridd
Sheila, Tony and family
We’re very sorry to hear of the loss of your father, our condolences to all.
Heather Church
Sheila , so sorry to hear about your dad , my deepest condolences to you and your family
Aimee & Henry
Sheila, Tony and family, Henry and I would like to extend our condolences of the loss of your father, father-in-law and grandfather.
Dr. Yehiel and Maria Meghory
To the Milliken families,
Our sincerest sympathies on the recent passing of your beloved, John. May your sweet memories of him, bring you comfort during this difficult time.
Sincerely,
Dr. Yehiel and Maria Meghory
Frida
I’m so sorry for your loss, god take him to heaven
Lisa & Charlie
Ross, Louise, Clare and entire Milliken Family,
Our deepest condolences to you all for the loss of your precious father, father in law, grandfather. It is evident by his photo and memorial that he was a loving , caring, dedicated man. Hugs to the family. Our hearts and prayers are with you. May he rest in peace – Eternal Rest Grant unto him O Lord and Let Perpetual Light Shine Upon Him.
Lisa & Charlie MacLean
Mary (Ecclestone) Hopkins
To all the Milliken’s and your wonderful families, deepest condolences for the loss of your Dad…he and your Mum made great team. Thinking of you all and sending much love.
Joe Drago
So sorry to learn of John’s death. We had many wonderful times together when John and Eleanor lived in Sudbury. The times away taking courses as well as the many social events were always fun and enjoyable. John was a competitor and played to win no matter what we were playing. He had a knack of getting his Ministry partner, Bob Perry going. They were a dynamic duo with the Ministry. I have so many fond memories of John. I send my sincere sympathy, thoughts and prayers to the family
Jane Cox
Eleanor; Am so sad to read about your husband. When you folks left Sudbury, we lost contact but I think of you as you were the one who attracted me to CFUW Sudbury. And this year, I’m Co President!
Though I didn’t know your husband, it sounds like you both were 2 peas in a pod. Kind. Fun. A wonderful life partner. My sincere condolences Eleanor to you and your family.
Jane
Nancy Dozzi
Certainly a life well lived . He is remembered fondly by educators like me
Geoff Payne
So sorry to hear the news. We hold many fond memories of our trips on either side of the Atlantic. Rest in peace.
Susie and Age
Sheila Tony and family…..We are so sorry to hear of your dad’s passing.
Thinking of you during this difficult time❤️
Birgit Hulme
So sorry to hear of the passing of your Dad Sheila. He sounds like an amazing man! My sincere condolences to you and your family.
Carolyn Crang
Dear Mrs. Milliken and Family,
I was sad to hear of your loss and I know my mother would be too. You and John were familiar names around our house and I know that you and my parents shared many good times together. My condolences to you and your family.
Angelo S. Callegari and Beverly J. Morton
Ross and Family,
Our sincere condolences on the passing of your father. We hope that all of your good memories are of comfort to you at this time and in the future.
Barb Nott
Eleanor and family
Have great memories of you and John both here and in the Soo. Thinking of you.
Mary Collinson
My sincere condolences to the entire Milliken family on the passing of your Patriarch. John was a good man. I have fond memories of both John & Eleanor. I always enjoyed our conversations. Sending prayers and love to you all….Ross, Bruce, Sheila and your families. ❤️
Mary Collinson ❤️
Wendy Belcher
John was my tennis coach the summer I graduated from Gr 8 in the soo. Then he was my home room teacher in Gr 9 and teacher in Gr 13. I babysat Ross and Bruce. Eleanor and I used to have great conversations before they left for whatever party.
A life well lived and well remembered
Carol Germa
Eleanor and family,
So very sorry to hear of John’s passing. I have fond memories of our time at St. Paul’s where we served together on the Outreach Committee and John provided leadership as Council chair. He could always be relied upon to provide sage advice and also make sure we had fun social times as well.
Keeping you in my thoughts and prayers.
Carol Germa
Bob Moore
Dear Mrs. Milliken and family
I am so saddened to learn of Coach Milliken’s passing. Please accept my sincere condolences and indulge me for a moment in relating an old old remembrance I cherish about John from my high school days.
Half time and coach Milliken was upset. We sat in the dressing room sweating in stunned silence and totally bewildered. We had never been behind in a game that year. It was 1962 and the game was not in our home gym at Sault Collegiate Institute. The Sault Tech Trojans were dominating us. Our team was undefeated and on top in the high school junior basketball league.
Coach Milliken let us stew a while before he entered the room. He walked around for a time without saying a word. Then his words came out, not loudly, not angrily, not even accusatorially. He simply said: “You boys are a better team than this. You know what you are capable of. I’ve given you all the tools you need. Now it’s up to you to figure it out.”
John Milliken walked out of the room and closed the door silently. We had never been left alone like that by the coach. He had always mapped out the second half strategy.
The mark of a great coach to me is the aura he/she brings to a team. Coach Milliken had that aura in spades. We respected him, had confidence in him, and we’re inspired by him. We never wanted to disappoint him. We looked at each other and each of us looked inward.
Winning that game in the second half came easily. Each of us knew what had earned our team this success. We had shown coach Milliken that his team would not let him down. Back then, in our youth, we may have thought the championship was ours. But in our declining years we must all have come to understand that it was actually less for us and more for coach Milliken, one of the finest men I’ve ever met in my life.
.
Bob Leask
John was an inspiring coach and math teacher at SCI and a competitive teammate in the city basketball league later. I had the pleasure of a visit with him pre-Covid in Bolton when we were able to recall many names from the Soo days. Such good memories.
Claudia Inês Penna de Macedo Rocha Vieira
Dear Mrs Milliken and family,
I am very sorry to hear about your loss. I have sweet memories from the days I spent in Canada with you all, and I will never forget such a kind and good humored man as Mr Milliken.
Sending my players and love to all the family.
Claudia Inês Rocha
Sandy Lowden
John was a great friend for many years. We met through our wives who had been classmates in Phys Ed at the. University of Toronto. In the summer of 1954 John met Eleanor in the west while I met Anne in Europe. Our friendship followed for all those many years. I can recall many long evenings of food, drinks, bridge and crockinole in Toronto, Saul’s Ste Marie, Sudbury and Regina. What a lot of fun. I will miss him
Anita Priddle
Dear Eleanor
My sincere sympathy to you and your family on the loss of John. He was a wonderful man and husband and will be missed by all.
Joan Milburn
So sorry to read about John. Hope you are well, Eleanor.
Ross Court
Please accept my sincere condolences on your recent loss of John. The profound impact that John has had on those of us who were fortunate to have been coached or taught in the classroom by “Coach Milliken” will always endure and be treasured. I will always be indebted for the kindness and generosity of the Milliken family who invited me to board with them while attending post secondary school in Sudbury. The ping pong matches with John and the floor hockey games in the rec room with a young Bruce and Ross remain epic in my memory. Eleanor, Ross, Bruce, Sheila and families, my heartfelt condolences. “Courtie”
Louise Vitols
Thinking of all of you and extending my heartfelt condolences. I worked with Mr. Milliken as his secretary with the Ministry of Education. We used Mr. Milliken back in the day as first names just weren’t used it was the norm. I’m sorry for you loss and you’re all in my thoughts.
Wendy Beilhartz
I am so sorry to hear of your father’s passing. He was my hero at SCI and my reason for studying Math at Queens. I will always remember his calm presence and many ways of encouraging improvement. I can still see those BF-1s in a tiny circle on tests or exams. A friend once said to me – you’d jump off a bridge if Mr Milliken asked you to. I responded with a bewildered look – of course I would! Wouldn’t you??
Thank you for sharing your Dad.
Wendy Walton Beilhartz