Richard "Dick" Milligan

Richard (Dick) Lee Milligan, U.S. Army (Ret.), age 92, passed away on Friday, December 24, 2021, at his home in Lubbock, TX with his family by his side. He was born July 19, 1929 in Pontiac, Michigan to Mr. and Mrs. Willard Lee Milligan. He met the love of his life, Mary (Yank) Allen in Rockingham, North Carolina and they were married September 3, 1949.

Dick enlisted in the U.S. Army at the age of seventeen and proudly served our country for twenty years. He joined the paratroopers of the U.S. Army and served with the 508th Parachute Regiment and the 82nd, 11th and 18th Airborne Corps. After four and a half years, he achieved Master Sergeant, and Warrant Officer in the following six months. He served actively during the Korean war. Dick, rated a master parachutist, jumped from an aircraft in flight 244 times with no injury.

Dick attended night school for seven years while serving in the Army. His desire was to become a teacher. He studied at the University of Maryland and Florida State University where he graduated with a major in history and business. After retiring from the Army in 1966, he accepted a teaching position in Minneapolis, MN. After nine months, Dick decided to change vocations. He moved his family to Albany, Georgia and began employment with Engineering and Equipment Company as sales and service manager. Dick was also a member of the Albany, Georgia chapter of Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship and served as President in 1976. Dick and Yank, following his retirement from Engineering & Equipment Company, moved to Lubbock, TX in 1991 to be near their daughter, Ann and her family. Dick worked for Ann and John’s business, Armstrong McCall Beauty Supply for 23 years until he retired.

Dick is survived by his loving wife of 72 years, Mary (Yank) Milligan; daughter, Ann Milligan Maxwell and husband, John Maxwell of Lubbock, TX; two granddaughters; Liz Maxwell Farris and husband, Rod Farris of Allen, TX; Ashley Maxwell Szczepanski and husband, Jake Szczepanski of Dallas, TX; and five great-grandchildren; Ryan Szczepanski, William Farris, Luke Szczepanski, Bennett Farris and Grace Farris; his brother, Patrick Milligan and wife, Dorothy, and wife of brother, Michael, Carol Milligan.

He is preceded by his mother and father Margaret and Lee Milligan; and siblings Dorothy Milligan Bonner and Michael Milligan.

Dick was a devoted and loving husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather. His Faith was the great motivator in his life. He often shared his love of the Lord through his words and actions. He shared his love of family and friends through enormous, full body, bear hugs which will be forever missed. Dick thoroughly enjoyed working in his extensive pecan orchard in Georgia and beautifully manicured yard in Texas. Watching baseball was a passion, especially the Atlanta Braves. Although he graduated from Florida State University, Dick became a loyal Texas Aggie fan in support of his son-in-law, granddaughters, grandsons-in-law and great grandson and proudly displayed an Aggie Grandparent bumper sticker for many years. Mostly, he enjoyed spending his days with Yank.

Friends and relatives are invited to attend his funeral service on Tuesday, January 4, 2022 at LakeRidge Baptist Church, 4601 82nd St., Lubbock, TX 79424 at 1:00 p.m. (CST.) Burial with military funeral honors following at Resthaven Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested remembrance by contribution to the Wounded Warrior Project at www.woundedwarriorproject.org/don