Donald James Millage

Donald James Millage December 30, 1931 – February 17, 2012 Donald J. Millage, of Newberg, died peacefully on February 17, 2012 due to a stroke shortly after his 80th birthday, with his children by his side. Don was born in Phoenix, Arizona on December 30, 1931 to Roy and Grace Millage. He was the third of four children, and the only boy. In Dealous Cox, his first cousin, he found a brother. Dea was raised with Don and his sisters for several years, as Grace cared for Dea’s mother Maggie who had been badly burned. Don and his family moved to Talent, Oregon, where he met Virginia Peters. Later in life, he would say, “I saw her for the first time when I was sixteen and never looked at another woman.” Virginia was active with the Friends Church youth group, along with Dea Cox, so Don became a Baptist by day and a Quaker by night. In high school, Don was a four letter man. He set the small school state record in the long jump at 20’ 3 5/8”, a record which stands today. He quarterbacked the football team, played second base, ran dashes and long jump in track, and came off the bench to play guard in basketball. Don attended Southern Oregon State College for two years then served in the Korean conflict. Upon returning home, he and Virginia were married in June of 1954. They moved to Springfield, Oregon, were Virginia taught first grade and Don finished his degree at the University of Oregon. Don took the CPA exam after graduation, confiding to his wife that he was sure he had failed. In fact, he passed the exam in the top eight of the country. He went on to work for Price Waterhouse at the Portland office. While in Portland, his three children were born. Don built a house in Tigard for his family, but was transferred to the San Francisco office six months later. Don and his family lived in California for three years before being transferred to the New York office as National Director of Professional Development, and moving to New Jersey. While in New Jersey, Dave LeShana, then president of George Fox College, offered Don a job as business manager of the small Quaker college that Virginia had attended. Don always said that he went to George Fox for the salary, demonstrating his characteristic dry humor, as he took a 2/3 cut in pay to move back to Oregon. Don worked at George Fox College for the next 30 years, seeing the college grow from a total annual budget of 1.5 million dollars, to a million dollar monthly payroll. He instituted a balanced budget, and, as the Abominable “No” man, continued to balance the budget yearly during his tenure at the college. Don and Virginia were both very active in the Newberg community, the College, and Newberg Friends Church. In 2011 Don was inducted into the Talent High School Athletic hall of Fame. He was also in the George Fox University Sports Hall of Fame for his many decades of scorekeeping for the men’s basketball team. In 2008 he was the GFU Volunteer of the Year for the service and support he gave to the University. Don was preceded in death by his beloved wife Virginia in 1992. He is survived by his three children Martin (Katherine) of Newberg, Dawn Beveridge (Ken) of Beaverton and Gayle (Ed Meyer) of Charleston, SC; five grandchildren; Heather, Thomas and Anna Virginia Millage, Laura Beveridge Yarnell (Mike) and Melanie Beveridge, and two great grandchildren, Aliya and Darius Yarnell. His three sisters Lily (Wes) Hartley, Doris McCulley, and Laura Baker (Clarence) also survive him, along with many nieces and nephews. He will be greatly missed. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, February 25th at 2:00 p.m. at Newberg Friends Church. Memorial gifts may be made to the Don and Virginia Millage Memorial Scholarship Fund at George Fox University, Newberg, OR.

Donald James Millage

December 30, 1931 - February 17, 2012