Jane Corrine Milligan

Jane Corrine Milligan, age 77, passed away in Elk Grove, California, surrounded by her children, on Wednesday, July 7, 2021. She was born on November 6, 1943, in Lebanon, Oregon, to Jack Walter and Corrine Zeffie (Hart) McCracken.

Jane pursued academic excellence at Arcata Union High School in Arcata, California, where she was valedictorian for the class of 1961. She was the first in her family to attend college and did so on a full scholarship. Jane received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1965 from Humboldt State University, where she was a member of Chi Sigma Epsilon. It was there that she met the love of her life and on June 5, 1965, she married Michael Terrence Milligan of Alturas, California, the day after graduation. An accomplished seamstress, she sewed her own wedding dress. Together, they had three daughters in Stockton, California, where they were both teachers. Jane and Mike enjoyed gardening, camping, and being in nature.

The untimely death of her husband Michael in 1977 forced Jane to raise three children on her own. She was so proud of each and every one of her daughters and their accomplishments.

Jane’s special interests and hobbies included gourmet cooking, bird watching, reading voraciously, and doing the New York Times Crossword every day. Her passion for food included trying new recipes, most recently Japanese and Vietnamese cuisines. She was beloved for her extensive meal planning, and made everything from scratch, including pesto, birthday cakes, and sushi. She knew the scientific names for plants and could identify them easily. She visited the Cosumnes River Preserve regularly and kept a journal of the birds she encountered. She could identify the stars in the night sky and always had a keen interest in science. Her taste in literature ranged from mysteries to the classics, fantasy and biographies. Her favorites were The Odyssey and Pride and Prejudice. She connected so deeply with The Odyssey that she had always wanted to visit Greece for herself.

She valued the earth, our place and impact on it, and had hope for future generations.

Her favorite getaway was being near the ocean, as it reminded her of growing up on the cool, misty coast of Oregon. A devoted grandmother of three, she sewed countless costumes, baked thousands of cookies, and helped with school work daily. During the pandemic, she sewed around 200 facemasks and donated them to her daughter Melanie’s workplace.

Jane is survived by her daughters, Melinda Milligan and her husband Marc Weidenbaum of San Francisco, California; Melanie Thurner of Elk Grove, California; and Michelle Milligan of San Francisco, California; three grandchildren, Justin, Aaron, and Clementine; and her sister, Mary Eagleman. Jane was preceded in death by her husband Michael, her parents, and her sister Patricia Butler.

Jane will be remembered as a smart, caring, and gentle person who put everyone else’s needs and wants before her own. There are no services planned at this time. Burial will follow later this year at Alturas Cemetery, where she will be together with her husband forever.

Memorial contributions may be made in Jane’s name to the National Audubon Society.