Dorothy May 'Dot' Davis Milliken, 84

Dorothy May "Dot" Davis Milliken, 84 of Sula and Hamilton, Mont., passed away of natural causes on Sunday, July 9, 2006, at Valley View Estates in Hamilton.

A celebration of life service will be held at 4 p.m. on Friday, July 14, 2006, at the Sula Club House with Pastor Martin Lien officiating. A potluck reception will follow at the club house.

Dot was born May 11, 1922, in White Bear Lake, Minn., to the late Raymond and Lillian Johnson Davis, the third of eight children. When Dorothy was a young girl her family moved to Glendive, Mont., where she attended school and graduated from Dawson County High School.

Even in high school her love of horses was evident as she worked at exercising race horses after school. She was always athletic and interested in sports. After high school, Dorothy worked as a telegraph courier before moving to Seattle, Washington at the beginning of World War II. Dot was a real life "Rosie the Riveter" who worked on the manufacture of B-17 bombers throughout the war.

After the war, Dorothy moved to Jewel Lake, Idaho. She met Edward Milliken in Jewel Lake and they were married there in 1958, where Ed worked in the logging industry. Their son, Dan, was born in 1959.

Dorothy was a mother and homemaker. She was active in the Triangle United Women's Club of Northern Idaho and the PTA until 1969 when the family relocated to Sula, Mont.

In Sula, Dorothy was an active member of the Sula Women's Club, "Saddle Tramps" a women's riding club, Women's Gun Club and the Sula Community Church. She was an avid pinochle player.

Dorothy was the true "western women" — tough, strong, independent, loyal, with a deep love of nature and fascination, appreciation and kinship with all God's creatures. She loved anything western, especially art and literature.

In later years, Dot and Ed would trailer their horses to Arizona where Dot would run the "Dude Shack" at a ranch during the winter months.

Dorothy was preceded in death by her parents; her brothers, Raymond Davis Jr. and Robert Davis; and her sister, June Davis Appesland.

Survivors include her husband Ed of Hamilton; their son and daughter-in-law Dan and Donna Milliken of Seattle, Wash.; and numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews and her beloved horse, Polly.

In lieu of flowers the family suggests memorials in Dorothy's name to the Sula Club House, C/O President Sula Clubhouse Committee, Adele Nuxoll, 163 Leisure Lane, Sula, MT 59871.

Arrangements are under the care of the Daly-Leach Chapel in Hamilton.