Edward Milner

After a long life and a short illness, Edward McDonald Milner passed into the hands of a merciful God on Easter Sunday, March 31, 2024. He was predeceased by his beloved wife Rebecca Yvonne Bartlett Milner and is survived by his children, Edward McDonald Milner Jr. (Sylvia Milner), Thomas Bartlett Milner (Sandra Johnson) and Julia Ellen Milner (Kamran Jahanshahi); and his beloved grandchildren, Stephan Jahanshahi, Camellia Jahanshahi and Christopher Johnson (Susan Bernardi Johnson).

Born May 24, 1928, in Albertville, Alabama. Upon the death of his Father in 1933 he moved with his mother, Arree Twitty and younger brother James to Gainesville, Georgia where he lived until graduating from high school in 1945. While there he developed a love of music, in the high school band, and a lifelong commitment to the Boy Scouts, being the first Scout to reach the rank of Eagle in Troop 1, Gainesville.

In the fall of 1945 he left Gainesville for Nashville, Tennessee where he attended Vanderbilt University. He studied Chemical Engineering, was a member and student director of the marching band and a member of the Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity. He also meet Becky, who was a student at Peabody College. After graduating in1948 they married on April 2, 1949.

Ed started his professional life producing naval stores, moving with Becky between several locations in the deep South of their origins. In 1956 his career took a major turn when he began working for a Monsanto subsidiary in Decatur Al. In 1962 the family of 5 moved to Rhode Island in 1962, New Jersey, and in 1986 to St. Louis Mo. where he worked for Astroturf Industries. He was very involved in making it a safe surface, and helped introduce Astroturf as a soccer and field hockey surface, traveling to Pakistan, Singapore, India, Japan, and forming friendships he maintained until his death. In 1992 he retired as President of the corporation.

After retirement Ed and Becky moved to Olmstedville, NY where they built their dream home (Frogmore) on 100 acres in the Adirondack Mountains. Over the next 18 years they volunteered with the US Service Corp of Retired Executives to assist a Brazilian start-up and served on the board and as chairman for the International Association for Sports Surface Science (ISSS), headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland. In their community he served on the Warren County Soil and Water Conservation District and the North Creek Chamber of Commerce. He continued his lifelong participation in Rotary International, directed his church’s choir, and impersonated Theodore Roosevelt at numerous community events. He was a founding board member of the Our Town Community Theatre Group, supported North Country Public Radio, and enjoyed the company of innumerable friends, the Chous and other family members at Frogmore. In his spare time Ed played golf, cooked and enjoyed complementary wines, photographed wildlife, and read. No meal at Frogmore was complete without friends and conversation.

In 2010 when he and Becky could no longer cross-country ski or shovel snow they moved to Cookeville, TN, and then to Life Care of Sparta where they were supported by a loving and helpful staff. Becky passed in 2018 and Ed continued to enjoy his friends and family until his passing.

Ed Milner will most be remembered for loving, supporting Becky, his children and a family extending beyond those mentioned here to innumerable friends. He was the living embodiment of the Scout Laws, truly Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean and Reverent. He is loved, sorely missed and his memory will comfort to all who knew him.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, April 27, 2024 at1:00 pm at the Sparta First Methodist Church.

In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be made in his name to Rotary International, https://my.rotary.org/en/donate

Hooper-Huddleston & Horner Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements (931)526-6111. Share memories and condolences at hhhfunerals.com