WEST BALDWIN- Shirley Lois (Estes) Milliken, (Mom, Grammie, Nana, Emmie) age 96, passed peacefully into the arms of Jesus on September 14, 2022 with loving family by her side.
She was born in Portland, Me on November 16, 1925 to Charlotte and Harold Estes. At the age of 4, Shirley lost her mother Charlotte and sister Marilyn to Tuberculosis. A few years later, Harold married Hilda who gave her a sister, Nancy Anderson and 3 brothers, Paul, Gary, and David. After graduating from Standish High School in 1943, Shirley went to work for LL Bean in Freeport. During a raging snow storm, on December 29, 1945 she married the love of her life, Gordon Milliken in the parlor of Uncle Allie’s home. They were married for 67 years, and had two children Marilyn (Lynn) A. Dodd, and Peter W. Milliken. She worked for many years and retired from the U.S. Postal Service as a clerk. She served in West Baldwin and North Windham.
Shirley is predeceased by mother’s Charlotte and Hilda, father Harold, brother Paul and wife Betty, sister-in-law Dottie, husband Gordon, and son Peter.
She is survived by daughter Lynn Dodd and husband John, daughter-in-law Lisa Milliken, grandsons Aaron Dodd, John (Wesley) Dodd, and Sean Milliken, granddaughter Grace and husband Brian Sanborn, and great-grandchildren Adleigh and Conner Sanborn, sister Nancy Anderson and husband George, brother David Estes and wife Beverly, brother Gary Estes, along with many, many nieces, nephews and their children.
Shirley was an incredible lady who never forgot anything, loved taking pictures (but not having her own taken), and thoroughly enjoyed sending and receiving cards for any occasion. She got her greatest joy from serving others and just loved being a good neighbor. Her family and community were very important to her.
Shirley joined the West Baldwin United Methodist Church with her sister Nancy, on March 25, 1956, where she served in many capacities over the years including Sunday School teacher, Youth Group Leader, children’s choir co-director with Nancy, and Board Member.
She was proud to say she was a 60-year member of the Baldwin Extension Homemakers. She thoroughly enjoyed being a member of the Baldwin Historical Society, was a lifelong Republican and at one time served as the Chairperson of the Baldwin Republican Committee, and was a part of the West Baldwin Vol. Fire Auxiliary for many years.
Walking was her middle name! Shirley could often be seen walking to Baldwin school and back, or in recent times, using her walking sticks to walk up the back road. For many years, she was a member of the Southern Maine Volkksport Assoc. with whom she made good friends and walked in many states from Maine to Hawaii and other countries including Canada and Panama.
Some things she really enjoyed through the years were John’s homemade bread, camping with Gordon and the kids, serving at the fried clam dinners or eating baked bean suppers, making lemon meringue pie for a neighbor, taking day trips through the mountains or to the ocean or just to watch the planes take off from the Jetport, riding the Johnson snowmobile, hosting pool parties for neighborhood kids, going to see Brad White, having trick-or-treater’s show up at her door, and going for a ride to pick up Adleigh from school and get an ice cream. She also loved it when friends would call or stop for a visit, especially the “grands”. Many mornings she could be found reading the paper then doing her word search puzzles while watching the Price is Right, and in the evenings, she could be found doing her word search puzzles while watching the Red Sox. While she never made it to Fenway Park, perhaps they sometimes heard her there as she expressed her opinion about a strike or a home run.
A funeral service will be held Friday, September 23, 2022 at 11:00am in the Old West Baldwin Cemetery with Rev. Lynn Briggs officiating. If you need a seat, feel free to bring a lawn chair.
Online condolence messages can be submitted at the Poitras, Neal & York Funeral Home website, www.mainefuneral.com
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the organization of your choice. Shirley was charitable to organizations that she knew made a difference in people’s lives. She would be honored that you did the same.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Poitras, Neal & York Funeral Home, Cornish, www.mainefuneral.com