Beverly D. Millard

Beverly was born in Sigourney, Iowa to Dean and Ferne (Mahan) Hamilton on July 13th, 1926. She passed at the young age of 94 on January 6th, 2021 at Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville, IL. Beverly married Arthur Millard, a WWII veteran of Chicago, IL and moved to Beach Park in 1950 to raise their two sons, David and Dean. They were long time members and supporters of Beach Community Bible Church where they found their home with God. Their love for and passion for rocks is what I will remember the most, and their involvement with the Lake County Gem & Mineral Society was remarkable. It was the coolest thing ever as a little kid going to rock shows (kids these days are missing out, obviously) or imagine a model town of Bedrock in your grandparent's basement! Bev and Art enjoyed many years showing of their rocks, jewelry, art, creations, and etcetera's to the world. After losing Art, Beverly poured her heart into her family and her community. You could see her volunteering at various events, churches, and food pantries around town. Have you been to the Waukegan Historical Society in the past 35 years? If you have ever done a research project on Waukegan history, chances are my grandma helped you out. She started volunteering there in 1989 and worked as a Research Librarian for over 30 years! Her love and commitment to historical research and to our local community has never wavered, and I am thankful her beautiful handwriting will be preserved throughout their files. Always serving, Beverly was very involved in the Zion Genealogical Society as well, providing countless hours of research and board support, becoming the 'spark plug' for the organization for well over 25 years. Beverly received numerous awards for her volunteerism in the community, specifically with the Waukegan Historical Society and the Waukegan Park District. Most notably, a 2007 Citizen of the Year Award from the IL Parks & Recreation Association, which earned her the seat as grand marshal in the 2007 Waukegan Independence Parade! She was always so surprised and happy when she was recognized for her work- thinking nothing of her dedication and well over 30,000 hours of volunteering. So much that in 2019, Beverly was beyond humbled and honored to receive the Jack Benny Arts & Humanities Award, which recognized her lifetime achievement and dedication to the Waukegan community. Preceded in death by her sister, Evelyn Carney of Arizona, and her son, Dave Millard of Waukegan/Zion, IL. She has a large family still surviving who supported her throughout her life, not limited to her brother, Dan (Gail) Hamilton of Aurora, Ohio; her son, Dean (Debbie) Millard of Blairstown, Missouri; and daughter-in-law, Donna Millard of Beach Park, IL. Her family never missed a birthday card, regardless of how big it grew. Dave married Donna (Dietz), who beget Debbie (Jerry Marshall), David Millard, and Dianna (Shawn Laurent). Dean and Debbie (Weber) beget Dan (Michele), Danae (Jeremy Wheeler), and Daryl Millard. Beverly's 15 GREAT grandchildren were the delight of her later years and she could not have been a prouder 'Mammy' to: Zachary, Hunter, and Colton Marshall; Rosalia and Lianna Millard; Aiden, Arriana, and Kieran Laurent; Daniel, Mastin, and Joshua Millard; and Colette, Maddox, Grayson, and Edith Wheeler. There are too many nieces and nephews to name, but all loved the same. Beverly was amazing- the proudest mother, sister, aunt, grandmother, and great-grandmother one could ask for. If you needed a cheerleader, Bev was there! She was the most resilient and stubborn person I knew, from re-using tin foil to insisting on washing the dishes every holiday meal and driving into her 90s! My grandma loved this community, and we would love to hear how you knew her. Please share your memories or pictures with us via email StoriesofBev@gmail.com. We will have a celebration of her life later in the Spring/Summer of 2021. In lieu of flowers, please make donations in her honor to the Waukegan Historical Society.