Ethel Elizabeth Millard

Ethel Elizabeth (Betty Brewton) Millard died Sunday, April, 5, 2009 at Talbot Hospice House in Easton surrounded by her loving sons and sister. She was 86. Born in Georgetown, Washington, DC on December 18, 1922, she was the daughter of the late, Maurice L. Brewton and the late, Helen A. Jenkins. She attended Woodrow Wilson High School and Wilson Teacher’s College, both in Washington DC. During World War II she trained as a nurse and received her RN at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, MD. On November 2, 1945, she married Jack Millard, then a lieutenant in the US Army and a decorated WWII war veteran. She was proud to be a career “Army wife” and accompanied her husband through his many tours of duty around the world. After giving up her nursing career to raise her family, Betty would tell you that her finest accomplishment was raising her four boys into strong, independent men. She moved 26 times with Jack’s career, packing up the family and always making it a fun adventure to experience a new environment. The moves included living across the United States and in Japan, Germany, and Belgium. But always, her home base was Washington, DC, where she was born and raised. She actively volunteered to lead many activities from Army-sponsored wife’s clubs, the Cub Scouts, flower arranging, various church groups and hospice care. Betty was a fiercely independent woman, often enduring absences of her husband as he served his country as a career Infantry Officer, including year-long combat tours of duty in Korea and Vietnam. She actively supported Jack’s career, culminating in a diplomatic post in Brussels Belgium, where she entertained dignitaries from around the world. She was the artistic and spiritual foundation of the family, sharing her gifts for oil painting, flower arranging, antique collecting and gardening. She loved to travel and opened her family’s eyes to world geography, the arts, music and history. She was particularly drawn to nature, especially the sea. Many family vacations included camping and going to the beach. Betty was the driving force for selecting the many homes they lived in over the years, making sure her boys experienced living on horse ranches, farms, beach houses, and waterfront property. After Jack’s retirement, they lived on Belvedere Island in San Francisco Bay in California before moving back east. Betty searched for and found a historic waterfront home in St. Michaels as their retirement home, where she and Jack lived for 27 years. She and Jack were active sailors and members of the Cruising Sailors of St. Michaels. They were both active in Christ Episcopal Church. Betty and Jack moved to William Hill Manor in Easton in 2002. Betty is preceded in death by her loving husband of 59 years, Jack. Betty was the oldest of three siblings and is survived by her brother, Maurice “Buddy” L. Brewton Jr. of Yukon, OK and her sister, Helen B. Appel of Woodstock, MD. She is also survived by her half-sister, Ann Sherman of Arlington Heights, IL. She was the proud mother of four sons, Alfred John Millard, Jr., (deceased), Michael Kimball Millard of Fredericksburg, Va., James Brewton Millard of East Greenwich, RI, and Stephen Mitchell Millard of Santa Barbara, CA. Betty was especially proud of her eight grandchildren Kristen, Lindsay, Jason, Amanda, Kimberly, Eric, Scott and Adam. Interment will be private at Arlington National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Talbot Hospice Foundation, 586 Cynwood Dr., Easton, MD 21601. Arrangements made by Fellows, Helfenbein & Newnam Funeral Home, PA of Easton.

Ethel Elizabeth Millard

December 18, 1922 - April 5, 2009