Karl Joseph Millius (1939-2022)

MILLIUS, RAFFERTY, WILLEY, BOWDEN

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 7/19/2022 at 13:56:24

Karl Joseph Millius, 83, of Dubuque, died Friday after a long illness, July 15, 2022, at his home in Dubuque.

Private family service were held with burial at Center Grove Cemetery in Dubuque. A celebration of Life will be held at a later date.

Karl was born January 20, 1939, in Dubuque, the son of the late Charles P. and Georgina M. Rafferty Millius. On April 30, 1966, he wed Lucinda "Cindy" Willey at St. Raphael's Cathedral in Dubuque. Together they shared 56 years of marriage.

Karl attended Loras Academy, graduating in 1957. He went on to attend Loras College for one year, later graduating from Iowa State University in 1961, with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Industrial Engineering. This education took him to John Deere where he dedicated 28 years of loyal service until his early retirement in July of 1992, at the age of 53. His loyal dedication was also seen in his service to his country. Karl served in the United States Army for two years, stationed in Pine Bluff, Arkansas during the Vietnam Era.

One of Karl's first jobs was as a soda jerk at Freund's Pharmacy. He loved planning summer vacations with the kids around the dining room table in January; gathering all the AAA books and maps and deciding where to go in the family station wagon was the best part. He truly loved ocean destinations like Nantucket, Florida and the Carolinas but also enjoyed Colorado. He loved the Lord, his country, and his family. Karl especially loved running and biking on the heritage trail with his family. In later years, he spent endless hours constructing projects with his favorite grandson, Austin. He was the love of his life.

Karl had a beautiful voice and knocked Cindy out with his banjo playing and that is how she fell in love with him. A gifted musician, Karl grew up playing piano and then the banjo. He was taught to read music, but found "playing by ear" to be more fun. At his peak, he won several banjo contests on his plectrum banjo. Besides music, he loved trains. He watched trains and walked the tracks in many different states. He built and enjoyed model railroading for many years with a fairly large HO gauge setup.

Survivors include his wife, Cindy, of Dubuque; his children, Michael (Pam Abare) Millius of Tucson, AZ; Sarah (Scott) Bowden of Durango, IA; and Suzanne (Bryan) Millius of Dubuque; his grandson, Austin Millius; brothers-in-law, Jack (Joyce) Willey of Sun City, AZ and Frank (Connie) Willey of Dubuque; his beloved dog, Charlee; and his cousin, Tom (Ethel) Brant of Leland, Florida; and nieces and nephews, Kristin (Vito) Schiro, Deanna (Kurt) Wisthuff, Anne (Gary) McCright, Mike (Pat) Meyer, Maria (Denny) Lemke, Steve Meyer.

Karl was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Mary Ann Meyer; in-laws, Keith and Evelyn Willey; and his beloved dog, Berklee.

Karl's family wishes to extend a special thank you to the hospice nurses Hillary, Ryan and Angela, for their kind and compassionate care. Also a thank you to the Dubuque Fire and Rescue for their help.
Also a special thanks to Dr. Mark Moore.

In lieu of flowers, please send memorials to the Dubuque Humane Society or a charity of your choice.