Mary Milton

Mary Milton

Mary B. Milton, a resident of Henry Ford Village in Dearborn and former Mackinac Island cottager, passed away Wednesday, November 16, 2005, at her home. She was 78.

Mrs. Milton and her husband, Robert, whom she married June 22, 1946, lived in Buffalo, New York, and came to Mackinac Island in the 1950s, renting the George Schermerhorn cottage on the West Bluff until 1959, when they purchased the Miles Zoeller cottage. They sold the cottage in 1990 and built a new home in the Annex, which they sold in 1998 when they moved to Dearborn.

Mrs. Milton was an expert horsewoman and was prominent in the formation of the Mackinac Island Horse Show and in the later development of the Mackinac Island Horsemen’s Association. She cultivated in youth here an appreciation for horse care and grooming, organized work parties to maintain the horse trails on the Island, gave riding and jumping lessons to youngsters twice a week for a number of years, organized scavenger hunts, and led daily trail rides.

“Mary had two passions in life, Mackinac and horses, and she really had an interest in passing those passions on to us,” said one of her former students, Mary K. McIntire. “She was especially concerned that we not only ride well, but that we were knowledgeable about caring for a horse and riding safely.”

While on the West Bluff, the Miltons built a new barn for their horses and the barn party that celebrated its completion featured square dancing called by their neighbor, former Governor G. Mennen “Soapy” Williams.

She was one of the founding members of the Mackinac Island Needlepoint Group (MING) and was an active member of the Mackinac Island Humane Society.

The Miltons were also active members of Wawashkamo Golf Club and of Ste. Anne’s Catholic Church on Mackinac.

Mary Milton was born July 6, 1927 in Baltimore, Maryland, to David Wills Bridges and Winona Scroggins Bridges. She met Robert Milton while he was studying for his doctorate at Johns Hopkins University.

She operated the Silver Needles needlepoint shop in Chappaqua, New York, and sold real estate for a number of years in Buffalo.

The couple reared three children, and one of them, M. Gillian Sanders, preceded her parents in death.

Surviving are her daughter, Suzi Padilla of Grosse Pointe, and her son and family, David and Vicki Milton of Jericho, Vermont. She had nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Gill Sanders’ children and families are Michael and Elizabeth Sanders of LaJolla, California, David and Christy Sanders and their two children, David, and Gillian Mary, and Lydia Sanders and July Sanders, both of Burlington, Vermont. Suzi Padilla’s children are Rebecca Padilla of Seattle, Washington, Michael Padilla of Seville, Spain, and Julie Padilla, a student at Stanford and now working with AmeriCorps in California. David and Vicki Milton have two children, Jacki and Sam.

Dr. Milton, a chemist with Union Carbide, died February 16, 2000.

A memorial service was held for Mary Milton at 11 a.m. Monday, November 21, in the Chapel of Henry Ford Village. Interment will be in the Mackinac Island Cemetery June 24, 2006.

Memorials may be made to the Mackinac Island Recreational Development Fund of the Mackinac Island Community Foundation, P.O. Box 1933, Mackinac Island, MI 49757.

Arrangements were made by Dearborn Chapel of the Howe-Peterson Funeral Home.