Dallas Brenda Milliken, 82, of North Walpole, New Hampshire passed away peacefully on Sunday evening, March 30, 2025, at the Sullivan County Health Care Nursing Home in Unity, New Hampshire surrounded by her loving family. Born on May 8, 1942, in St. John’s Newfoundland, Canada, “Brenda” attended various public schools throughout her youth, as her step-father was a career Air Force officer. During her youth, Brenda’s family was stationed in St. John’s and Stephenville, Newfoundland, Canada, Helena, Montana, and Topeka, Kansas.

In 1959, while living with her family at Harmon Air Force Base in Newfoundland, Canada, Brenda met Charles William Milliken, and they were married the following year on August 12, 1961, in Boston, Chuck’s hometown. Brenda and Chuck were happily married for 61 years, before “Pop” passed away on December 5, 2021.

After his discharge from the Air Force in 1962, Chuck and Brenda moved back to Boston and settled in Jamaica Plain, where they started their family when sons, Charles William Jr. was born in 1963, and then Joseph Elliot in 1966. In 1970, the Millikens moved to Agawam, Massachusetts, when Chuck began his career with the F. W. Woolworth Company, and their third son, John Douglas, was born in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1970.

Especially as a young mother, Brenda dedicated her entire life to taking care of her family, always making them her top priority. From taking care of her younger sisters as a teenager, to becoming a most loving and dedicated mother and wife to her “four boys,” to babysitting her young grandchildren.

Throughout their son’s young lives, Chuck, Joe, and John, counted on their Mom the most, as their Dad worked long hours as a retail store manager to support his family. Mom did a tremendous amount of work not only at home, but also making sure her sons always had what they needed and were always where they needed to be, whether it be at church, school, the doctor, little league, cub scouts, or football practice.

For many years, Mom was the glue of the family and kept everything in order and functioning properly. In fact, whenever one of their sons got a compliment for being polite or well behaved, Chuck always told them to “thank their Mom, because she did most of the work!”

In the late 80s, Brenda, now better known as “Nana,” decided that after 20-plus years of being our wonderful and dependable Mom at home, wanted to enter the workforce and enjoyed a nearly 20-year stay in the Fall Mountain Regional School District, working in the kitchens at the North Walpole (NH) Elementary School, Walpole (NH) Middle School, and Fall Mountain Regional High School in Langdon, New Hampshire. Nana loved being around all the students and her co-workers, especially her special friends, Phyllis Daley and Liz Brady, both of North Walpole.

After working hard all their lives and now retired, Brenda and Chuck settled into their cozy “yellow house up on the hill” in North Walpole, where they spent most of their time visiting with and having “family time” with their son’s families, including five grandchildren. Nothing on God’s green earth was more important to Brenda than her family, and one couldn’t ask for a more caring daughter, sister, wife, mother, aunt, grandmother, and great-grandmother. Nana will always be remembered for her selfless dedication and love for her family and close friends, and her memory will forever be cherished.

Brenda was predeceased by her parents, Douglas Mercer (1947), Gladys Mercer Lastovica (2011), and step-father, Joseph Lastovica (2005).

She is survived by her son, Charles William Jr. and his wife, Bonnie of Charlestown, New Hampshire, son, Joseph Elliot and his wife, Kelly of Bellows Falls, Vermont, son, John Douglas of Cary, North Carolina, daughter-in-law, Dee Milliken of Charlestown, New Hampshire, and daughter-in-law, Anna Michaud of Douglas, Massachusetts.

Nana is also survived by her four loving sisters and her entire “Texas Family,” Deanna Mercer Faas, Lucille Lastovica Smith, Rose Ann Lastovica Cook, and Carol Lastovica Bartek, as well as several nieces and nephews who she loved very much.

Nana also dearly loved her grandchildren, Alyssa Milliken Hancock (and husband, Alex), Craig Milliken (Jennifer), Nathan Milliken (Grace), Erin Milliken, and Justin Milliken, and great-grandchildren, Claire, Emmett, and Grace.

There were no calling hours, and a private Catholic service for immediate family was held in St. Peter’s Cemetery in Walpole, New Hampshire, where Nana was laid to rest next to her beloved husband of 61 years, where they will rest in peace together, forever.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Brenda Milliken’s honor to the Cedarcrest Center for Children with Disabilities, 91 Maple Ave., Keene, New Hampshire 03431, or at www.cedarcrestcenter.org.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the care of the Fenton and Hennessey Funeral Home, 55 Westminster Street, Bellows Falls, VT.