Eileen Ellen (MCKay) Millikan

Eileen Ellen

(MCKay) Millikan

Sept. 28, 1916 – May 5, 2023

Eileen Ellen McKay Millikan was born Sept. 28, 1916 to W. James McKay and Hilda Foshaug McKay. Eileen passed away on May 5, 2023 at the age 106. She was the eldest of six children.

Eileen grew up on a farm 10 miles north of Almira, Wash., where she loved to follow her daddy around. She went to a small elementary school; then quickly into high school. Eileen moved down the road to live on the McKay homestead with her Aunt Maggie, who she adored, her Uncle Wallace McKay, and Cousin George McKay. She traveled to Almira to attend her high school.

In 1934, Eileen continued her education at WSC, currently WSU, for five years. She completed a Bachelor of Science and a Teaching Certificate. Her first teaching job was in Rochester, Wash., where she taught for several years until the beginning of World War II.

To help in the war effort, she moved to Seattle and took a job with United Airlines, handling mail at Boeing Field, where she was required to carry a pistol!

She happily returned home in 1944 and took a teaching job at Almira High School.

She married Robert E. Millikan on June 8, 1947. Peonies from her Aunt Maggie’s garden graced the Almira church that day. They settled in Bremerton, Wash. where their son Peter Millikan was born in 1948. Within a few months they moved to Hayward, Calif., and several years later to Berkeley, Calif. where Eileen went to work for the California State Health Department in the bacteriology department until her second child, Marlene Millikan was born in 1956. In 1960, they bought a house in Castro Valley, Calif., where they lived the next 19 years. Eileen returned to teaching for those 19 years in nearby San Lorenzo.

In 1979, after Bob retired, they returned to live at the McKay homestead.

Eileen became a volunteer for the Lincoln Hospital Auxiliary and the Lincoln Hospital Foundation. Subsequently, she served the Lincoln Hospital Board for 25 years, finally stepping down at the age of 102.

Eileen loved “Bridge” and had many games in her long career. She loved to spend all day gardening and tending to her cats.

She was a verbal, passionate advocate for the Democratic Party and served as a convention delegate and precinct chairperson for the Lincoln County Democrats.

She is survived by her son Peter (Catrina) Millikan; daughter Marlene (Dale) Millikan, three grandchildren Daniel (Liz) Millikan, Jessica Millikan and James Millikan along with five great-grandchildren, numerous nieces, nephews and several generations of cousins.

Graveside services will be held on Fri., June 2, 2023 at 2:00 PM at the LaFollette Cemetery, Almira, WA. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at http://www.strate-funeral.com for the Millikan family. Strate Funeral Home, Davenport, WA is caring for the family.