Roger Milligan
Roger Leroy Milligan was born in Battle Creek, Iowa September 20, 1943 to Archie and Margaret (Hamann) Milligan.
He passed away June 17, 2018 in Wittlich, Germany while on vacation visiting family.
Funeral services were held at 10:30 a.m. Monday, July 2, 2018 at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Sioux City. Burial with military honors was in Memorial Park Cemetery. Meyer Brothers Morningside Chapel is in charge of arrangements. Condolences may be expressed at www.meyerbroschapels.com.
Roger grew up on the family farm near Midway, Iowa. He attended country school and graduated from Anthon-Oto High School. He attended Westmar College in Le Mars, Iowa and received an Engineering Degree from Iowa State University.
While at college, Roger met Ida Childs and they were married on January 15th, 1966 at St Paul Lutheran Church, Battle Creek, Iowa (Midway).
Roger was also a member of the Iowa Army National Guard. During the Vietnam War, his National Guard Unit was activated and Roger was stationed at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri as a Drill Sargent. When the Guard Unit returned to Iowa, Roger’s family made their home in Council Bluffs, Iowa. They later moved to Sioux City, Iowa, where they remain today.
Roger was the Assistant County Engineer at Woodbury County Secondary Roads and retired after working for the County for over 40 years.
After retirement, he served as a trustee for Concord Township.
He was an active member of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Sioux City, Iowa. He was involved with the church choir, served on the leadership board, and early on was a youth group leader where he was affectionately known as “Sarge”.
His leisure time was filled with family, fishing, gardening, traveling and breakfasting with his coffee buddies. But his passion was watching his grandchildren grow and enjoying their sports/dance/school activities.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
He leaves behind his favorite nurse, Ida, who was his loving wife for 52 years. He also leaves his sons, Kent (Tracy) Milligan and Troy (Lisa) Milligan and daughter, Amy (Mike) Jorgensen and beloved grandchildren Joshua (Ellie) and Jenna Milligan; Jaxson and Keltie Jorgensen and Mariah, Mattie Sue and Makayla Milligan.
Also surviving are his brother Charles (Sharon) Milligan, his sisters Mary (Keith) Wornson and Ardis (Al) Olson, his brother-in-law Barry (Teresa) Childs, his sisters-in-law Anita (Jim) Sizemore and Rhonda (Jerry) Griffin and numerous nephews, nieces, friends and church family.
We can only fill the incredible empty space he leaves behind with all the love he spent a lifetime of sharing with us.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to Lawton Ambulance or the Clausing Missionary Family (lcms.org/Clausing).
Roger was a big brother to my classmate, Ardis, at our country, one-room school (K-8) at Midway; he was someone I looked up to and admired. As I recall, he led our school’s softball team, letting this little 2nd grader play. Cooperation was a key attribute for success for learning in a one-room school and I can thank Roger, along with all of the kids that attended the Midway school, for that life lesson. My father was the pastor at St. Paul Lutheran Church (Midway) until 1957 so I lost touch with the Milligan family, however, coincidently I returned to live in Sioux City in the late 90’s. Unfortunately, we never crossed paths with Roger, attending a different Lutheran church.
Fair winds and following seas,
thank you, Tony