Mary Jean Millar

Known most especially by family and friends from around the world for her beautiful smile and warm heart, Mary Jean Clow Millar passed away on Sunday, January 14th to be with her beloved husband, Don, who passed just eight months before on Sunday, May 14th. Mary Jean was born in Portland, Oregon on March 19, 1927. She was welcomed by her parents Charles Ellsworth Clow and Bella Jean Clow, and her sister Harriett Georgina Clow.

Mary Jean attended Kennedy Elementary School in Portland and when the family moved to Vancouver she attended Shumway Junior High School and later graduated from Vancouver High School. She did post graduate studies at Eastern Washington University and the University of Washington. Due to WWII, Mary Jean returned to Vancouver and worked for Kaiser Permanente Hospital as a medical stenographer.

Mary Jean married her high-school sweetheart, Don, on May 22, 1948. The special bond of love they shared spanned nearly 69 years. Don and Mary Jean were blessed by their three children and their spouses: Mary Susan Morrissette-Smith (Larry), Curtis John Millar (Diane), and Jeannette Louise Dwight (Jerry); their grandchildren and spouses, Eric Morrissette (Alyssa), Mandy Morrissette, Heather Gibson (Troy), Andrew Millar (Erin), Jenny Dwight, and Jason Dwight; and their great-grandchildren Barry Morrissette, Toby, Brianna, Adam and Micah Gibson, and Emmitt and Samantha Millar; extended family, Kiska (DJ), Kian and Hadley Smith, and Leysly Avila.

Family was most important to Mary Jean and Don. So much so, that they were known as mom and dad or grandma and grandpa to many other young people from here and around the world. Ivan Sandoval from Colombia, Kumi Nakayama from Japan, and Agnes Ip from Hong Kong along with many friends of their children and grandchildren always felt welcome in the Millar home.

Mary Jean had a huge place in her heart for children. She shared her smile with every child she met. She was a Sunday School teacher, a Bible School teacher, an elementary school tutor, a Brownie and Girl Scout leader, a Cub Scout Den leader, and a PTA president.

Serving others was easy for Mary Jean. She was a long-time member of several organizations including: PEO, Chapter HL, the Children’s Home Society of Washington, the First Presbyterian Church, Royal Oaks Country Club, and Athenaeum.

Mary Jean enjoyed traveling with Don, making friends everywhere they went. Together they also enjoyed gardening, going to Blazer games, picnicking, playing games, golfing, clamming at the beach and oh so much more!

Along with her immediate family, Mary Jean is survived by thirteen nieces and nephews, their families, her brother-in-law Jackson Davis, and special friends Evie Lafferty, Ruth Green and Jeralyn Green. Mary Jean was preceded in death by Don, their daughter Julia Ann Millar, and her sister Harriett Davis.

On January 27, 2018 a Memorial Service will be held at 1:00 at the First Presbyterian Church in Vancouver which will be preceded by a gravesite ceremony at 11:30 am. There will be a reception following at the WareHouse Event Center in Vancouver.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to organizations Mary Jean participated in, a charity of your choice or the Alzheimer’s Association Washington State Chapter.