"John" By Cara Milnor 1/23//2008

John Newnam Milnor was born October 8th, 1936
To John Clifford Milnor and Catherine Ann Newnam.
John,s first few days
In the fort Wayne, Indiana hospital
Were touch and go.
His stomach valve would not open,
So no food could enter.
A whisky soaked cracker,
Anesthetized him for surgery,
That might save his life.
They were not sure he would survive.
Thinking this, they stitched him up quickly.
The large scar he carried all his life
Showed how wrong they were.
John was a surviver his entire life.
He had a younger sister Martha.
He had a grandmother Nonny. (Clara Reed Newnam)
She lived in Kendallville,Indiana where her now diseased husband
Had started Newnam Foundry.
He had grandparents George and Emma Milnor,
Who lived on a farm in Rome City, Indiana.
John grew up in Fort Wayne.
He lived on a street named Sherwood Terrace.
He had a boxer dog named Robin.
His family went to a Methodist Church.
He attended South Side High School.
He rode his bicycle to school
With a rifle over his shoulder.
He was on a shooting team at school.
He went to Indiana University and pledged Sigma Chi Fraternity.
Higher Education would prove difficult for John.
Bowling Green State University released him early.
The military said no because of two trick knees.
Cara Lynn Hall said yes.
We were married Augest 23rd, 1958.
Three hundred family and friends,
Wished us happiness in the Methodist Church,
In the small town of Wauseon, Ohio.
We were now Mr. and Mrs. John Newnam Milnor.
We went to Florida on their honeymoon.
We moved Bloomington, Indiana and attended Indiana University.
We lived above the Full-O-Pep Store next to a belled, railroad crossing.
John sold encylopedias door to door.
We delivered newspapers deep into the hills of beautiful Brown County Indiana,
Driving through creek beds to folks whose any outside connection was the paper.
John got a job with Remington Rand located in Indianapolis.
We moved there for a few years.
Next was a move to Des Moines, Iowa,
As office Manager for Remington Rand.
The next move took us back to Kendallville, Indiana.
John became the manager of their family business Newnam Foundry.
The foundry was in bad shape.
In the next few years, against all odds,
John turned it around.
John was very successful.
He was liked and respected in the community
His three children, Nicholis Newnam, Sarah Lynn and Daniel Reed were born,
During those years.
We bought a beautiful house on RR3 near Kendallville.
It was in a 2 acre woods with a stable.
The kids road a bus to Rome City,
Where they attended school.
John bought a ranch at Tie Siding, Wyoming.
We spent as much time there as possible.
The kids and I more than John.
Times change.
John sold the foundry to Chromoloy American, located in San Antonio, Texas.
They wanted this young, good looking succsessful guy to run their foundries.
They were scattered over the Eastern half of the U.S.
John said, "Yes."
We packed it up and moved to 16459 lost Cabin in San Antonio, Texas.
We all say the best move to the best place.
Our neighbors Larry, Charlotte, Kelly and Kristi Franklin became good friends.
So now we were winters in Texas and summers in Wyoming at the ranch.
John went into the cattle business with Juan and Joni Reyes.
They became our good friends.
After awhile John said," The only way to make a small fortune in the cattle business is to start with a big one."
This was a wonderful time in our lives.
John loved to hunt and fish and we did a lot of it for many years.
Times change.
The kids grew up and John retired.
We didn't need the big Lost Cabin house.
We sold it and bought a house on Beaver Island, on Lake L.B.J. at Granite Shoals, Texas.
That didn't work out.
We sold it and bought another house on Lake L.B.J.
Is was an old hunting camp house on Mallard Point.
John had a bassboat and did some fishing.
John put together a group to teach the Conceal Carry Gun classes.
He rented space in Marble Falls, Texas and taught the class for several years.
He openned a shooting range every Saturday morning for all thos who had been through his class. He loved all of this and was good at it.
We sold the Tie Siding Ranch and bought one in Wheatland, Wyoming.
Finally we sold that ranch to Juan and Joni.
Times change.
Our grandson Kody was born in San Antonio.
He was in day care.
John and I decided to sell the lake house,
Move back to San Antonio and take care of him.
We bought a house in Timberwood Park on a hill 7 miles North of 1604 off Blanco Rd.
One day I heard kody say, "Grandpa I love you so much."
That made it all worth while.
John and I decided we were glad to have had those years with Kody.
John and I decided to take a vacation in Florida.
Dan (youngest son) his wife Amy were going to be there visiting her father.
They invited us over to his condo to watch a football game.
John fell out of his chair and suffered a stroke on january 23rd, 2005.
Dan and Amy and I were near telling him to hang on, we love you it will be alright.
John had survived from many emergency room visits.
E.M.S. could not pull him back.
Dan flew home with me in John's empty seat.
Amy was seheduled on another flight.
John's funeral was in the last home we would ever have together,
Surrounded by friends from near and far.
We celebrated his life and mourned his death.
We were married 46 years.
John was 69.
Times change.