She was a resident of Houston since 1941. A graduate of Grandview High School, she was also a graduate of Hillsboro Junior College and Texas Christian University in 1936. While at TCU, she was honored as Most Beautiful and Most Popular both years she was there. She was a music major, being quite talented on the piano and violin. She was also a model for Neiman Marcus. After graduation, she attended nursing school in Galveston. Before graduating from nursing school, she met and married Robert Wells Milner, Jr., an independent oil operator who later founded Metal Arts Company. She was a member of the Blue Bird Circle charity organization since 1941 and was very active in the arts and crafts group, where she was known for her hand decorated Easter eggs. She was an active member of the TCU club. In 1956, her TCU classmates selected her as their Coming Home Queen. She was reared Baptist and was a faithful member of the First Baptist Church of Grandview (where she played the piano and organ), South Main Baptist Church of Houston, and finally River Oaks Baptist Church of Houston.
In addition to her charity work, she enjoyed traveling. On her final day, she was reliving a trip to Australia with her daughter, Patty. She was a devoted mother to her two daughters, Betty and Patty.
She is predeceased by her parents, John and Ila Donoho; brother, John Lee Donoho, Jr.; husband, Robert Wells Milner, Jr.; stepdaughter, Jean Milner Whitman.
She is survived by her daughters, Betty Milner Blake and her husband, D. Herbert Blake, Patty Milner Marvel and her husband, Jeffrey B. Marvel; grandchildren, Carol Wynn Sorth and husband, Joe, William R. Wynn, Jr. and wife, Laura, Laura L. Blake, Lauren E. Marvel, Blaine A. Marvel, and Wells L. Marvel; stepdaughter, Ann Milner Wallace; stepson, Robert Wells Milner III. She was also survived by her longtime and faithful housekeeper, Gerry Scruggs.
Friends are cordially invited to a visitation with the family from five o'clock in the afternoon until seven o'clock in the evening on Tuesday, the 19th of April, in the Library and Grand Foyer of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston.
The funeral service is to be conducted at half-past one o'clock in the afternoon on Wednesday, the 20th of April, in the Sanctuary of River Oaks Baptist Church, 2300 Willowick Road in Houston. Immediately following the service, the family will gather for a private entombment at the Memorial Mission Mausoleum of Forest Park Westheimer Cemetery.
The family respectfully requests that memorial donations in Johnnie D. Milner’s name be made to The Blue Bird Circle, 615 West Alabama, Houston, TX, 77006-5003; or River Oaks Baptist Church, 2300 Willowick, Houston, TX, 77027.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18