| In Loving Memory of |
| Barbara J. Milem 1937 - 2008 |
On May 9, 2008, Barbara Milem's amazing journey through this
life ended in South Point, Ohio, at her home, and with her husband,
the love of her life, at her bedside. Her journey began in Ironton,
Ohio on February 9, 1937. Her mother and father, Ella Mae
(McCracken) and Ralph Boyer celebrated the pleasant, but
unexpected, birth of their third child in their middle age. As she
grew, Barbara provided much amusement and joy to her family,
especially during the turbulent years of World War II. She became
a nurturing and intuitive individual and it was no surprise that she
choose nursing as a career, graduating from St. Mary's School of
Nursing in Huntington, West Virginia in 1959. Her commitment to
the nursing profession continued for forty-eight years, and she was
both respected and adored for her dedication and compassion for
her patients. She retired from the Ohio Veterans' Home in January
of 2007. Personally, Barbara was emotionally generous and loved
being with and taking care of her family, friends and her pets,
whom she admittedly and shamelessly spoiled. In 1972, Barbara
married Charles Frederick Stark, and she and Fred moved to
Castalia, where they resided together until his death in 1982.
Following Fred's death, Barbara continued to enjoy her
relationships with her step-sons, Scott Stark and Gary Stark, and
her step-grandchildren Jessica and David. Barbara remained
particularly close to her sister-in-law Joan Stark, with whom she
shared a home for many years. In the fall of 2006, Barbara
reunited with her high school sweetheart, John David Milem, and
she and David were married in June of 2007. Barbara and David
traveled, attended antique car shows, chamber of commerce
meetings and Lawrence County Commissioner meetings together
until her health restricted her physical activity, at which time David
became her nurse, providing her with the loving and devoted care
that she had provided to so many others during her lifetime.
Barbara is survived by her husband, David, step-sons, Scott Stark,
Gary Stark, John David Milem, Jr. and Kirby Milem, sisters-in-law
Joan Stark, Edmonia Boyer, and Jeannie Winters, brother in law
Douglas Milem, mother-in-law Helen Milem, step-grandchildren
Jessica Navin and David Stark, and nieces, Peggy Masser,
Marilee Musselman, Paula Boyer, Rebecca Katona, Carolyn
Wray, and Vickie Ruffing, nephews David Boyer, James Minard,
Timothy Boyer and Stephen Boyer. She was preceded in death by
her father in 1953, her mother in 1982, her brother, Clarence W.
Boyer in 1967 and her sister Betty J. Minard in 1986. Services will
be held 11 AM Tuesday, May 13, 2008, at Schneider-Griffin
Funeral Home, 313 Big Branch Road, Chesapeake, Ohio, with
internment to be at Highland Memorial Gardens, 198 Private Road
1336, South Point, Ohio. Friends may call from 6 to 8 PM Monday
at Schneider-Griffin Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to
Stein Hospice Services or the Lawrence County Hospice Services.
Condolences may be expressed at www.schneidergriffin.com.
life ended in South Point, Ohio, at her home, and with her husband,
the love of her life, at her bedside. Her journey began in Ironton,
Ohio on February 9, 1937. Her mother and father, Ella Mae
(McCracken) and Ralph Boyer celebrated the pleasant, but
unexpected, birth of their third child in their middle age. As she
grew, Barbara provided much amusement and joy to her family,
especially during the turbulent years of World War II. She became
a nurturing and intuitive individual and it was no surprise that she
choose nursing as a career, graduating from St. Mary's School of
Nursing in Huntington, West Virginia in 1959. Her commitment to
the nursing profession continued for forty-eight years, and she was
both respected and adored for her dedication and compassion for
her patients. She retired from the Ohio Veterans' Home in January
of 2007. Personally, Barbara was emotionally generous and loved
being with and taking care of her family, friends and her pets,
whom she admittedly and shamelessly spoiled. In 1972, Barbara
married Charles Frederick Stark, and she and Fred moved to
Castalia, where they resided together until his death in 1982.
Following Fred's death, Barbara continued to enjoy her
relationships with her step-sons, Scott Stark and Gary Stark, and
her step-grandchildren Jessica and David. Barbara remained
particularly close to her sister-in-law Joan Stark, with whom she
shared a home for many years. In the fall of 2006, Barbara
reunited with her high school sweetheart, John David Milem, and
she and David were married in June of 2007. Barbara and David
traveled, attended antique car shows, chamber of commerce
meetings and Lawrence County Commissioner meetings together
until her health restricted her physical activity, at which time David
became her nurse, providing her with the loving and devoted care
that she had provided to so many others during her lifetime.
Barbara is survived by her husband, David, step-sons, Scott Stark,
Gary Stark, John David Milem, Jr. and Kirby Milem, sisters-in-law
Joan Stark, Edmonia Boyer, and Jeannie Winters, brother in law
Douglas Milem, mother-in-law Helen Milem, step-grandchildren
Jessica Navin and David Stark, and nieces, Peggy Masser,
Marilee Musselman, Paula Boyer, Rebecca Katona, Carolyn
Wray, and Vickie Ruffing, nephews David Boyer, James Minard,
Timothy Boyer and Stephen Boyer. She was preceded in death by
her father in 1953, her mother in 1982, her brother, Clarence W.
Boyer in 1967 and her sister Betty J. Minard in 1986. Services will
be held 11 AM Tuesday, May 13, 2008, at Schneider-Griffin
Funeral Home, 313 Big Branch Road, Chesapeake, Ohio, with
internment to be at Highland Memorial Gardens, 198 Private Road
1336, South Point, Ohio. Friends may call from 6 to 8 PM Monday
at Schneider-Griffin Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to
Stein Hospice Services or the Lawrence County Hospice Services.
Condolences may be expressed at www.schneidergriffin.com.
