He was born Oct. 20, 1923, in Buffalo, Kan., to Orville and Ura Leone (Landrith) Milliron. He grew up and attended schools in Buffalo and was a 1941 graduate of Buffalo High School.
In 1943, he began working at Arizona Inn in Tucson, Ariz., before entering the U.S. Air Force in 1943. He earned the rank of sergeant in radar maintenance and also served in the 458th Bombardment Squadron. While in the Air Force, he was selected to serve on the elite radar mechanic squadron, which required special escort to and from classes as introduction of radar was classified information. Upon his discharge from the Air Force in 1945, he received the Good Conduct Medal and Bronze Star.
In 1948, he worked at Western Electric in Lawrence before becoming employed by the Kansas Highway Patrol in 1949, working in both Lawrence and Topeka. For a time, he also worked as a state driver’s license examiner before taking a leave of absence from the Kansas Highway Patrol to work as a bodyguard and driver for Gov. Edward Arn, the 32nd governor of Kansas. In 1955, he moved to Independence, where he worked as a trooper covering five counties. Through the years, he trained numerous new highway patrolmen, and in 1962 moved to Parsons, where he continued his work with the highway patrol, retiring in 1981.
He married Ardith Irene Moore on Jan. 20, 1954, in Bartlesville, Okla. She preceded him in death on April 25, 1981.
He was an avid hunter and fisherman and enjoyed woodworking. He especially enjoyed having coffee with his friends and going to casinos. He always looked forward to attending alumni banquets at Buffalo High School and retirement gatherings of the Kansas Highway Patrol. He received great pleasure in reading the Buffalo Historical Society newsletters and traveling to Florida with his longtime companion, Kay Borklund, to visit her children and grandchildren. His loving daughter and adoring grandchildren and great-grandchildren were a great source of joy and comfort to him in recent years.
Survivors include a daughter, Barbara Workman and her husband, Paul, of Parsons; three grandchildren, Jared M. Workman, Angela L. Workman and Nicholus M. Workman; two great-grandchildren, Grace Elizabeth and Isabel Ann Workman; a sister, Shirley A. Campbell of Eureka; and numerous nieces and nephews.
In addition to his wife, he was preceded in death by a brother, James Milliron; a sister, Norma Lou Ebert; and longtime companion, Kathryn M. “Kay” Borklund.
The graveside service will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at Buffalo Cemetery in Buffalo. The family will receive friends from 7 to 8 p.m. today at Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home in Parsons.
Memorials are suggested to the Buffalo Historical Society and may be left at or mailed to Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home, P.O. Box 374, Parsons, 67357. Online condolences may be left at forbeshoffman.com.
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