Alice J. Millard

Alice J. Millard passed away due to complications from Parkinson’s disease on December 27, 2023.

Alice Jeanette Rowland was born September 26th, 1952 to John J. Rowland and Ruth (Chellie) Rowland. She grew up in Burien, Washington where she and her family were deeply invested in the community and members at Gregory Heights Baptist Church. She attended Highline High School and graduated in the class of 1971. After high school, Alice attended Linfield College in McMinnville, Oregon as a legacy student (both her mother and father graduated from there). She graduated in the class of 1975 with her BA in Psychology and Music.

Alice met Robert (Bob) Millard in 1975 when they were both camp counselors at Cascade Meadows, a camp near Leavenworth. They were married on October 13th, 1979, and moved to Port Orchard after Bob started working for the Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office. There, they quickly found a wonderful community based strongly in their membership at South Kitsap Presbyterian Church (later named Adventure of Faith). Alice's faith and church family at Adventure of Faith church was a dominating guide and force in her life.

Alice and Bob always wanted children, and this led them to the brand new in-vitro fertilization program at the University of Washington. That, in turn, led to the program’s first triplets! Lynette, Steven, and Greg Millard were born to Alice and Bob in January 1986. Alice enjoyed being a stay-at-home mom and did an admirable job at home while Bob worked all manners of shifts (including graveyard) as a KCS officer. Alice made sure Bob was supported well and the their kids always had what they needed including volunteering countless hours at their school. This didn’t just span the grade school years, but continued into high school and college for her three energetic children-turned-young-adults. Alice attended cross-country and track meets to enthusiastically cheer on both Steven and Lynette, despite their attending colleges several hours away from their hometown. Her faith, tender-loving-care, and nurturing enabled Lynette, Gregory, and Steven to make their own ways in life and flourish.

Her level of dedication continued even after college, as Lynette, Steven and Greg started lives of their own. When Lynette and her husband started a family 10 years ago, Alice made it a regular event to brave the Seattle traffic and come over 1-2x a month to visit and help with her three grandchildren, often bringing new games and songs to teach them. After her Parkinson’s diagnosis several years ago, Alice slowed down a little, but her determination remained steadfast to live life to the fullest. She enjoyed regular trips to the family cabin in Ocean Shores, joined the family on a trip to Disneyland and then Hawaii, and visited Steven in Chicago. In her 2023 visit to Chicago she was the one to say yes to the outdoor hot tub on the record breaking rain fall day of 6 inches! Alice was continually determined to make wonderful memories with the family she loved.

Alice always enjoyed the outdoors – a joy she passed on to her children and grandchildren through many camping trips. She loved the majesty of the forest and the ocean. She loved any opportunity for a walk and cherished our multiple camping trips every summer growing up, especially Salmon La Sac and the family cabin in Ocean Shores. Alice loved to explore family history and document special memories. You couldn't catch her at a moment when she wasn't writing down something she wanted to remember, taking pictures, and, of course, video recording each present being opened at Christmas. Music was also an integral part of her life, as was seen in how all three of her children and now her grandchildren were in choirs, played instruments of all sorts, and loved singing hymns in church together.

Alice was preceded in passing to be with the Lord by her parents, John J. and Chellie Rowland as well as her brother-in-law Charles Balleaux and is survived by her brother John C. Rowland (Sheila), sisters Sarah Rowland and Gladys Balleaux, her husband Bob, her children and grandchildren. She is missed dearly, and will be remembered always until we meet again in glory. Please contact family members directly for details on the upcoming memorial service.