Judith Milligan

Judith Elaine Milligan, 84, a longtime resident of Portland passed away Friday, Sep. 22, 2023, in Berne after a battle with cancer. She was born in Bryant in 1939 to Albert and Vera (Shoemaker) LeFavour. She married Doug Milligan in 1959.
Living in the Westchester area of Jay County, she attended Bryant High School and graduated from Portland High School in 1957. She went on to study business at International Business College before beginning her family.
In her early career, she worked for Mutual Security, G.C. Murphy and Portland Forge. She also served as a tax accountant for Takats Insurance Agency.
In 1970, she returned to college to earn a degree in elementary education at Ball State where she later also earned her master’s degree. For 20 years, she taught fourth and fifth grade in the Portland elementary schools: East Elementary, Judge Haynes and General Shanks. After retiring from the Jay County school system, she taught briefly for South Adams Schools. She was a loving and caring teacher to hundreds of school children who remember her fondly. Always going the extra mile, she ensured that her students had food to eat and books to read, warm hats, mittens, and coats, and even bought Christmas presents for those who might not otherwise receive anything.
Serving alongside her husband, she supported and volunteered for many local community organizations including Jay County High School Band Boosters, the First Presbyterian Church, the Jay County Fair Board, for which she served as secretary and the board of directors of Arts Place. For many years she was also the secretary of the Portland Library board of directors and later served as secretary of the Geneva Library board of directors. She was a member of AAUW, Tri Kappa, BPW and Beta Sigma Phi among many other community groups.
She and her husband retired to Rainbow Lake in the 1990s and later moved to Swiss Village.
She is survived by her husband; son, David (Dawn) Milligan of rural Portland; daughter, Barbara of Cape Cod, Massachusetts; sister, Phyllis of Fort Wayne; grandchildren, Shyla Houser, Chancellor Milligan, Patrick Ryan, Michael Ryan, AJ Pettyjohn, Samantha Pettyjohn; and nine great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by a brother, Bob.
Visitation will be two hours prior to the celebration of life service Wednesday, Sep. 27 at noon in the Swiss Village auditorium. Pastor Dathen Foust will officiate. A private burial will take place at Green Park Cemetery in Portland.
Memorials may be made to Swiss Village or the First Missionary Church in Berne.
Arrangements provided by Baird-Freeman Funeral Home in Portland. Online condolences maybe be made at www.bairdfreeman.com.