Marie Millard

Marie Romey Millard died July 23rd, 2005, at her home in Woodbine, Iowa at the age of 81.

Marie was born May 23, 1924, in Carroll County and raised in Templeton, Iowa, the daughter of Nicholas and Mathilda Romey. After high school and business college, she was employed at the Glenn L. Martin bomber plant, Mead Farm Equipment, and Trailmobile Corporation in Omaha, Nebraska.

In 1945 she met Zell Millard, who worked in the same building, took the same street car home, and made her laugh. They were married November 16th, 1946, moved to Woodbine in 1950, raised five children, and celebrated nearly 59 years together. Marie was the kind of mother who played Fox and Geese with her children in the snow, hit home runs in family softball, and never missed attending her children's basketball games.

In 1963 Mrs. Millard was employed as a medical receptionist and assistant to Dr. Joseph Petrikonis at the Woodbine medical clinic, where she worked for eight years.

Marie felt her personal calling was to share the gift of music, and she fulfilled this as organist for over forty years at Sacred Heart Church in Woodbine, and by her impromptu and joyous piano playing, which brought friends and family together to sing.

She was awed by the beauty of nature, especially a starry sky on a summer night, wrens returning each year to nest in her pear tree, and the firefly. She shared this love of nature as a volunteer at DeSoto Bend Wildlife Refuge near Missouri Valley, Iowa.

She took up painting and studied art after her children left home, helping manage several local arts shows as a member of Woodbine Town and Country Arts. She later was appointed by Governor Robert Ray to serve on the Iowa Arts Council, where she was instrumental in bringing the arts to small towns.

Along with her dedication to music, nature and the arts, Mrs. Millard leaves a legacy of service through such organizations as the PEO sisterhood, The West Central Development Corporation, where she served as Chair, the Advisory Board of radio station KIWR in Council Bluffs, Iowa, The American Legion Auxiliary, Sacred Heart Parish Council of Woodbine, and Iowa Republican Women, . In 1972, she was appointed by Governor Terry Branstad to the Iowa State Capitol Planning Commission, on which she served for 24 years, several of them as Chair. Under her tenure, she oversaw the restoration of the Iowa State Capitol Building and the construction of The Iowa Historical Society Building.

Her adventurous spirit led her to take up cross country skiing and distance becycling in her sixties. She loved to travel, and later in life visited Russia and China as a member of the People to People International Exchange Program.

She is preceded in death by her brother Melvin (Bud) Romey, and infant daughter Mary Beth. She is survived by her husband Zell; children Joyce Millard-Hoie of Phoenix, Arizona, Victoria Millard-Avery of Seattle, Washington, Tim of Wichita, Kansas, Terry of Columbus, Nebraska and Bruce of Boston, Massachusetts; seven grandchildren; one great-grandchild; brother Clifford Romey of Templeton; and many cousins, nieces, nephews and friends, all of whom celebrate a life well-lived and lovingly remembered.

Holy, fair and wise is she,
The heavens such grace did lend her.
William Shakespeare