08/02/10 - NNHS Newsletter -
Martha Jo Walters Milne

Martha Jo Walters Milne
(16 June 1914 - 30 July 2010)

Newport News High School Faculty Member
http://www.nnhs65.com/teach-Milne.html

Martha Jo Milne, age 96, of Brasstown, NC passed away Friday, July 30, 2010 at her residence.

She was preceded in death by her husband, William Palmer Milne II who was pastor of Orcutt Baptist Church in Newport News from 1958 until 1967; a brother, G.B Landrum from Laurel, Mississippi; a sister, Frances Tyler from Blue Mountain Mississippi; and two grandchildren, Douglas Milne and Ben Brewer.

She was a native of Jones County, Mississippi, but had lived in Clay County since 1997. She was the daughter of the late Charles Thomas and Mary Frances Lewis Walters. Martha was a retired English Teacher (Denbigh High School) as well as an Instructor of Methods of Classroom Instructions at Blue Mountain College in Mississippi. She was a member of Truett Memorial Baptist Church in Hayesville, NC and once led the Truett WMU, but had been attending the St. William Catholic Church in Murphy, NC. She loved flower gardening, painting, ceramics, photography, tennis and collecting Angels with over 300 collected since the 1960s. In her younger years she was a very active athlete participating in track and field and the swim team. Among her other interests she loved reading and wrote a children’s book titled Bonnie Baptist that was distributed internationally.

She is survived by her two sons, William P. Milne, III and Charles T. Milne both from Warne, NC and two daughters, Mary M. O'Connor from Brasstown, NC and Eleanor Kenitzer of Grass Valley, CA.; two sisters, Eleanor Collins from Sylacauga, Alabama and Charla Smith from Hattiesburg, Mississippi; five grandchildren, Elizabeth Milne, Christopher Richter, David Kenitzer, Katie Milne, and Josie Jestis; and five great-grandchildren; and 12 nieces and nephews, many of whom came to her 90th Birthday Party.

A Memorial Service will be held at 11:00 AM, Saturday, August 21, at the Townson-Rose Funeral Home Chapel in Murphy, NC. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in memory of Martha Jo Milne to the Samaritans Purse, P.O. Box 3000, Boone, NC 28607-3000  (www.samaritanspurse.org), or to the charity of their choosing. Condolences may be posted at www.mem.com.

Townson-Rose Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. View and post condolences on our online guestbook at dailypress.com/guestbooks.

Published in Wolf Creek Broadcasting on August 2, 2010.
Published in Daily Press from August 5 to August 6, 2010.

Hi Carol......as you have previously posted, Mrs. Martha Jo Milne recently passed away and her memorial service was held in North Carolina.  She was the mother of Billy (who graduated from Ahoskie High School in 1958, just before the Milnes moved to Newport News),   Mary Ann, '60,   Charles, '64 and   Eleanor, '66. 

There will be a graveside service for Mrs. Milne in Newport News on Wednesday, October 6th at Peninsula Memorial Park, Garden of Devotion.  Her ashes will be buried beside her husband, Rev. William P. Milne.  He was the most devoted pastor of Orcutt Avenue Baptist Church from 1958 - 1966.  The Milne family made an impact in this area and we dearly loved Rev. and Mrs. Milne.  He married   my wife (Patty Andrews, '61) and me in 1965, six months before he passed away. 

I thought if anyone wishes to attend this graveside service, the children would love to see you and it would be a tribute to Mrs. Milne to be there.

Take care, Miss Carol.....you are the best.
 

Fred Mays of Newport News, VA

   Thank you so much for letting us know, Fred! I'm sure many will attend. I'd love to be there myself, but as my flight will just be landing in Raleigh late that very afternoon, I'm going to miss it.

  Thank you so much, Fred!

I just thought you may wish to hear    Eleanor Milne Kenitzer ('66) and    Charles Milne ('64) sing the song they sang at their mother's (    memorial service.  I was unable to attend this service in North Carolina; however, I was present for the graveside service in Newport News. Eleanor and Joann Moren Viars ('67) sang, "It Is Well With My Soul" at the graveside and Charles sang, "Precious Lord, Take My Hand".  The Milnes are truly gifted people.  There was a reception at Orcutt Baptist Church after the graveside. Rev. Milne had served as pastor at Orcutt from 1958 - 1966, where he died in the pulpit.  There were quite a few Typhoons at the graveside.  It was a beautiful service and was conducted by Dr. R. Furman Kenney.  

Charles seems so happy with his wife, Monica.....who has been just what he needed, it seems. Eleanor is certainly a sweetheart, as she always was.

Take care, Miss Carol......you're the best.

Fred Mays ('60) of Newport News, VA

   Thank you so much for sending me this file, Fred! It's so very moving!

   I think there is no way I can attach it to the Newsletter; however, I'd be glad to forward this to anyone who would like it.