Robert Edward Milam, 76

Robert Edward Milam, 76, passed quietly in his sleep on Oct. 14, 2016, at Kalispell Regional Medical Center, after a four-year battle with lung cancer.

He was born on Sept. 1, 1940, with his twin brother Lenox, in Kalispell to Margaret and Robert Milam.

Bob always jokingly told the story of his options to go to jail or join the service, so he joined the Navy in 1958, traveling the world and doing what he liked best, being a sailor, later a Navy chief and boiler repairman, spending most of his career in California, three years in Pennsylvania, and on ships that took him to see the world. During this time he wed, and had four children; he and his wife went their separate ways in 1982.

In 1976, he retired after 21 years of faithful service and returned to Kalispell, but didn’t stay there long. He continued to work as a boiler tender in lumber mills in Wyoming, Washington and throughout Montana.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Robert and Margaret (Lauman) Milam, and his son Robert Milam Jr.

Robert is survived by his three daughters Laura, Tamala and Victoria, his daughter-in-law Tara, his grandkids Kayla, Stephanie, Alyssa, Kathryn, Ryan, Jennifer, Everett and Patrick, and great-grandkids, John, Boston and Lux.

He will be missed by all who knew him.

A military honor service will be held at 3:30 p.m. on Friday, July 7, at C.E. Conrad Memorial Cemetery, to be followed immediately by a celebration of Roberts’s life potluck at 520 Leisure Drive. This open invitation is for all who knew him and would like to attend.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to your local cancer society.