Howard Dean McMillan, 78

Howard Dean McMillan, 78, of Post Falls, passed away Jan. 7, 2012. He was born to parents John W. McMillan and Minnie (Yoke) McMillan in Moreland. His family moved to Athena, Ore., in 1941 when Dean was 8 years old. He was raised and educated in Oregon.

He was preceded in death by his parents, six brothers and two sisters.

He is survived by his wife, Kay (Rehard) McMillan, Post Falls, Idaho; daughter Debra Pardon, Vancouver, Wash.; son Rick McMillan, Lincoln City, Ore.; sister Opal Barnett, Weston, Ore.; seven grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren, many loved nieces, nephews, friends and neighbors.

Dean joined the Air Force in Spokane in 1952 and was discharged in 1959. He served in the Philippines at Clark Air Force Base, then in Germany on a radar site. He met his wife of 51 years, Kay (Rehard) McMillan, in Spokane where she worked as a telephone operator at Pacific Northwest Bell. They married in Coeur d'Alene on Oct. 15, 1960.

Dean had several jobs and was a self-employed logger, hauling logs in North Idaho and the Spokane areas. He temporarily retired in 1976 after being struck in the back by a log. However, Dean was an energetic man who was born to work, so in 1982 he returned to long-haul trucking. After two years he was forced into permanent retirement due to the continuous pain he suffered from the injury.

The scent of pine followed Dean into retirement when he began woodworking as a hobby. He built beautiful birdhouses and children's furniture which he sold at craft shows or gave as gifts. He carried his camera with him on every journey chronicling events, places and people.

Dean also enjoyed traveling with wife, Kay, in their motor home, particularly when their granddaughter Tanya and her children Destiny and Tyler joined them.

Dean loved to tell jokes and every morning before breakfast read the comics. If he saw a joke he thought was funny he would try it out on Kay. She claims his jokes weren't always all that funny. He enjoyed watching sports and never missed a Gonzaga game. He belonged to the American Legion. Dean loved his family and spent many hours at the kitchen table sharing a laugh, a memory and a cup of coffee, which was always brewing.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, July 7, 2012, at the City Park in Athena, Ore. After the service lunch will be served.