Allan Kenneth McMillan Obituary (1924

Allan Kenneth McMillan was born July 8, 1924 in Verdun, Quebec, Canada the second of three children born to Elsie Hirst and George McMillan. His mother, Elsie, was known as “The Rose of Knox Street,” and one of Allan’s endearing memories is her coconut cream pie. His father worked for the railroads as the world rolled into the Great Depression. Allan’s education ended at grade 10 when he left school to help support his family. Allan was only 15 when Canada entered WWII in 1939. He knew that if he waited to be drafted at age 20 he might end up on the front lines so he enlisted early, choosing to study Morse code as a radio operator in the Royal Canadian Navy. After training, Allan spent 4 years in the belly of a convoy escort ship in the North Atlantic. After returning from the war Allan was so accustomed to sleeping in a hammock that he took his bed sheets out to the veranda, tied them up into a sling and slept there. After his parents’ early deaths, Allan found himself the head of a household. He cooked, cleaned, and payed the bills as he tried to be both mother and father to his little sister, Shirley. Allan put every effort into his studies while attending college on the GI bill, but after a night of dancing with Eileen Eve, life threw him a curve ball. Allan and Eileen were married in the High Anglican church and moved into the one bedroom cold water flat of his childhood. Allan graduated one year later from McGill University, earning his degree in chemical engineering. They were blessed with two children, Sharon and David. After graduation, Allan took his first job with Monsanto Chemical; then followed a co-worker down to Pensacola, Florida. The chemical plant in Florida was in constant crisis, and Allan quickly made a name for himself as a problem solver. Higher management recognized Allan’s gifts and he was eventually transferred to corporate headquarters in Allentown, Pennsylvania. The south beckoned once again and upon retirement the McMillans moved to Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Health concerns necessitated one last journey. “Go west young man.” In their 90’s Allan and Eileen moved to Provo, Utah to be near their children. Allan had a passion for golf, and it became the perfect segway into his professional life and time with his family. He won many tournaments and enjoyed golfing with his wife and children. During his retirement years Allan discovered the joy of tennis. It satisfied his competitive streak and didn’t take nearly as long. He continued to play competitive tennis into his 90’s by perfecting his killer serve and outwitting his opponents. Allan’s mantra, “I play smarter not harder.” Allan loved to tell the story of his last game. “My 91 year old partner and I beat the socks off a pair of 40 year olds. After the customary handshake, my partner turned to me with a grin and said, ‘do you realize they had a 100 year advantage on us.’” After Eileen, Sharon and David joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Allan attended regularly, although it would be another 10 years before his own baptism. Allan considered his eventual baptism as the best decision of his life. Allan passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by his children, at the age of 94. He was preceded in death just 4 months earlier by his wife of 68 years, Eileen Mary Eve McMillan. Allan’s parents and siblings, Ronald and Shirley, also went before him as well as his grandson, David Rane. Allan is survived by his children, Sharon Rane (Rob) and David McMillan (Lisa), 10 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, March 2, 2019 at the Oak Hills 9th Ward Chapel, 1960 North 1500 East, Provo, Utah. Interment, Eastlawn Memorial Hills. Condolences may be expressed at www.bergmortuary.com.