Butch Millikin
Donovan “Butch” Millikin was born May 2, 1943, in Holyoke to Jarvis J. Millikin and Marie (Jung) Millikin. On July 29, 2022, he died and left his earthly body at the Ogallala Community Hospital with his “three girls,” as he called them — his wife, Nancy, and daughters, Angie and Michelle — by his side.
Not diagnosed until April, he had been suffering with esophageal cancer since February. Though his prognosis was not favorable upon diagnosis, he fought with all his strength to be with his family a few more months.
The tears of mourning now replace the visions of struggle. It’s going to be hard for his family living without their hero, but they believe with all of their being that he is not gone but lives within everyone that he touched. His love, his compassion and his wit live on in their memories.
He is survived by his wife, Nancy (House) Millikin of Brule, Nebraska; daughters, Michelle Millikin of Brule and Angie Millikin Goodgame of Arizona; brother-in-law, Jerry House of North Platte, Nebraska; grandson, Matthew Goodgame of Arizona; and countless chosen family that he had collected over the years, including Mindy Hulinsky Bridge and her daughters and Madison Jehorek Strhol and her children.
Butch graduated from Brule High School in 1961 and later attended tech school in Denver, where he studied to be an auto body repairman. For nearly six decades, he had lived in Brule and had been the owner/operator of B&J Salvage, working side by side with his father, Jarvis, until his death in 2013.
In association with the Vietnam conflict, he was drafted by the Army in 1961 and attended basic training at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri. His unit was never called up but continued to train in the National Guard through 1968. Many of his lifelong friends were those that he served with in the National Guard.
A classic car enthusiast, his hobbies centered around 1950s cars, music and pop culture. The year 2022 was to mark his retirement from his business so he could spend time attending car shows and rod runs, but unfortunately God had another plan.
Butch was preceded in death by his parents, Marie Millikin and Jarvis Millikin; father-in-law, Marvin House; mother-in-law, Jeaneen (Hinton) House; and various aunts, uncles and cousins.
Funeral services will be held Friday, Aug. 5, at 11 a.m. at the Brule Activity Center, with Pastor Bobby Brueggeman of Church of Christ officiating. Services will be livestreamed. Funeral attendees are encouraged to dress casually. Many are wearing jeans and their favorite car show T-shirt.
There will be no visitation. Interment will be in the Brule cemetery.
Butch meant so much to so many different people — his family, his friends, his work buddies and his car brothers. If you are moved to express something about Butch at the services, please contact Angie at 678-777-6422 so that can be accommodated.
Memorials have been established to the Brule Fire Department and Nebraska Loves Cats of Chappell, Nebraska.
Online condolences may be left at www.drauckerfh.com by clicking the “share a memory” button.
Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Draucker Funeral Home.