Thelma Jeane (Bower) Milley, of Bozeman, Montana, passed away August 12, 2026, at the age of 101. She was born August 5, 1925, in Malden, Middlesex County, Mass. Thelma was proud that many of her maternal ancestors were settlers of Colonial America, and that her paternal ancestors were settlers of New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia.
She attended elementary schools in Malden and Everett, Mass.; graduated from Malden High School and Malden Business School, majoring in legal studies. She worked most of her life in the legal profession and various office positions in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Thelma was recruited at age 17, as one of three girls from Malden High School to be employed as secretary in the defense plant office of Robertson Tool Company, in the City of Malden. She stayed with the company as office secretary for a few years after the war ended.
She was a member of Methodist churches in Everett and Wilmington, Mass. where she was active in UM Women. She and her husband were both involved with youth in Wilmington, Arthur as Scoutmaster and Cub Scout Leader, and Thelma as den mother; they were also co-chairs of the MYF Senior Group. In Wilmington both boys were in the High School Band, and as parents, they ferried them to every home game and out of town football games and parades. The family enjoyed skiing, snowshoeing, hiking and outdoor activities in New England. In Brewster, she was most active in UMW and fundraising activities.
Upon moving to Bozeman, MT in 2009 she joined UMW and the Sunday AM Breakfast Group. She was a volunteer for RSVP at the Bozeman Senior Center, working at Second Hand Rose Thrift Store for over 12 years.
Thelma enjoyed handcrafting; she created many wall hangings, clocks, etc.; she hooked rugs and knitted and participated in creating projects for fund raising in all of the churches she attended in New England.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Frank Leroy Bower and Phylis (Armstrong) Bower; sister Edna E. (Bower) Foye, and brother, Arthur Lyman Bower. Thelma married Arthur James Milley on September 6, 1946, in Everett, MA. Arthur preceded her in death on August 1, 2012, in Bozeman.
Survivors include her two sons; Glenn Paul Milley (Carol Bradford), of Wiscasset, ME, and Allen James Milley (Cheryl McGee) of Belgrade, MT; four grandsons; Ross Gordon Milley, of Everett, MA, Brad Judson Milley (Katherine Jackson), of Fort Collins, CO, Kevin Paul Milley, of Woburn, Mass., and Aric McGee Milley, of Belgrade, MT; a granddaughter, Megan Jean (Milley) Colson (Daniel); and five great-grandchildren; Ezra, Eden and Levi Colson, all of Missoula, MT, and Adeline and Averie Milley of Woburn, MA.
Private family services will take place later. Arrangements are in the care of Dokken-Nelson Funeral Service. www.dokkennelson.com [dokkennelson.com]
