Thomas Ward McMillen

On August 17, 1940 Donald and Ethel McMillen welcomed their baby boy, Thomas Ward McMillen, into the world. From the beginning, Tom was a lively character. Throughout his life he loved a good joke and was a spectacular storyteller. His antics often got him in trouble as a child and he recalled as an adult that he thought it was worth it. Tom McMillen left this world on February 26, 2025. His presence will be greatly missed by his family and friends. Tom lived a full life. He was raised on the family farm on East Elizabeth Street in Fort Collins along with brother Don and sister Ginger. Tom was active in 4-H showing horses, calves, and sheep. One time, he rode his horse from Fort Collins to Loveland to the Larimer County Fair. Wrestling was a sport he enjoyed, and he even won a state championship in his weight class one year. After graduation from Fort Collins High School in 1958 he headed to California to join the Navy where he specialized in radio communication. He especially enjoyed being stationed in Japan. Upon his return to Fort Collins in 1961 he re-connected with high school friend Ann Stephens and they were later married in Albuquerque, NM. Their daughter, Keli Rae McMillen of Olney Springs, CO, survives him, as does his son Donald L. (Kelly) McMillen III. As a family they resided in Albuquerque, where Tom loved riding his motorcycle and hunting. Tom and Ann were later divorced. In the 1970s, Tom returned to Colorado, bought a beautiful property in the Waverly area and farmed the acreage. He grew alfalfa and other crops, farming on the weekends and evenings. He had a full-time job with AT&T where he worked for many decades. When Tom retired, he built his dream home, a beautiful log cabin nestled among mature trees with views of the foothills. His asparagus garden was the envy of friends and neighbors who often stopped by to visit. Always industrious, Tom, with the help of his son Don, continued farming into his seventies. Tom studied Spanish for years, visited Spain and Belize, and recalled sleeping in a hammock on the beach where he watched the turtles hatch and crawl out to the ocean. Tom is also survived by his grandson, Donald L. McMillen IV, and his sister, Ginger Montgomery, with whom he had a dear and close relationship. He will be missed by many loving nieces and nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews. Tom was preceded in death by his parents and his brother Donald L. McMillen II. Tom will live on in our memories as a cherished father, brother, uncle and friend, who liked to charm the world with his mischievous smile, laughter and unending sense of humor. A celebration of life will be held at a later date. Memorial contributions can be made to the Alzheimer’s Association or the charity of your choice.

Tributes

Thomas Ward McMillen

August 17, 1940 - February 26, 2025