Pastor Calvin Milan died at his Litchfield home on Monday, Feb. 3, 2003, at the age of 77. A memorial service is being planned at the Litchfield Christian Church for 11 a.m. on Thurs-day, Feb. 6. Visitation will be one and one-half hours prior to the service at the church. The family is planning a Spring inurnment at the Main Prairie Cemetery. Calvin Eugene Milan was born on Jan. 2, 1926, in Kimball to Joseph William Milan and Emma Ann (Linn) Milan. He attended the Kimball Church of Christ and was baptized at the age of 8. In January 1944, he was drafted into the Army but was deferred until he graduated from Kimball High School in May of that year. The Army transferred him to the Air Corps and Calvin trained to be a tail-gunner and later a mechanic on B-17 bombers. He was stationed at Lowery field near Denver, Colo.; Kearns Base near Salt Lake City, Utah; and Ellsworth Air Force Base near Rapid City, S.D. He was honorably discharged in the summer of 1946. In the fall of 1946 Milan entered the Minnesota Bible College where he received a four-year B.A. degree in ministry and preaching. On June 26, 1950, he married Vila Jean Hilary. The couple moved to Chippewa Falls, Wis., where Calvin was already serving as the minister. In the fall of 1951 they moved to Clarion, Iowa, where Calvin preached in the Clarion Church of Christ for 18 years. It was in Clarion that their daughter Jan and son Jim were born. In 1970 the family moved to O’Neill, Neb., where Calvin preached in the O’Neill Church of Christ for four years. In January 1974 they accepted the call to minister with the Litch-field Church of Christ. Calvin preached in Litchfield for 17 and a half years until his retirement in June 1991. After he retired from the ministry he worked for the Litchfield Public Library as part of the “Green Thumb” program. Calvin was a renaissance man who could do most anything he put his mind to. If something interested him, he’d get a book from the library and then do it – usually with great success. He had a passion for airplanes and built numerous models. He was a member of the Litchfield Wood Carvers Club and whittled many animal statuettes. He loved to hunt, fish and go camping. He could draw and paint with watercolors. He built a hot rod, made a telescope from scratch, and taught himself how to do magic tricks. While in Iowa he sang with a male quartet, and they were asked to lead revivals in many churches. Calvin was a history buff and enjoyed reading books on the Civil War and Bible history. He fondly remembered the trip he and Vila took to the Holy Land in the late 1980s. In 1992 Calvin was diagnosed with diabetes and became an active participant in the diabetes support group. Calvin was known as a storyteller, and he had many silly songs that he would sing to delight children. He was extremely fond of all the dogs he had. Calvin Milan was preceded in death by his parents, brother Leslie (Les) Milan, and infant grandson Nathaniel Pease. He is survived by his wife Vila; his children Jan (and Dave) Pease of Litchfield and Jim Milan of Rochester; granddaughter Rebecca Pease of Litchfield; several nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. Any memorial gifts may be sent to either the Litchfield Christian Church or the Crossroads College in Rochester, Minn., in Calvin’s honor. May our memories of Calvin Milan be blessed and bring us peace.
