Wendy Anne McMillan

March 19, 1956 - January 22, 2020

Longtime resident of Alexandria, Va. On January 22, Wendy passed away from respiratory failure complicated by a long battle with Multiple Sclerosis and other conditions. She was surrounded by her immediate family and her loyal long-term care nurse. She leaves behind her loving husband of 28 years, Steve, her son, Edward, her mother, Trish Madson, and her brother, Michael Milligan, and seven nieces and nephews. Her love of cats is well known and she leaves six at home to keep her side of the bed warm. Wendy was born March 19, 1956, in Frankfurt, Germany, the daughter of the late Edward S. Milligan (USA, Ret.) and Trish Milligan. As a daughter of a military family she lived around the world - Budigen, Germany; Fort Leavenworth (Kan.); Fort Holabird (Md.); Santa Anna, Costa Mesa and Newport Beach, Calif.; and, Okinawa, Japan - before arriving in Alexandria. Wendy attended T. E. Edison High School and graduated from T. C. Williams High School. After a period of time in Louisiana, Wendy moved back to Alexandria to begin her professional careers. Wendy worked for many years at Moore Business Forms in McLean, Va., then moved to a role as a financial auditor in the U.S. House of Representatives. In addition to these roles, she spent a great deal of her spare time working and managing the books for Today’s Cargo jewelry store in Old Town. She made lifelong friends and enjoyed a lifestyle that included regular trips to Cancun, Mexico, until the destination ultimately shifted to annual family stays in the beloved Cape Fear area of southeastern North Carolina. Wendy was close to her parents, collecting coins like her father throughout her adult life. While on Capitol Hill, Wendy was introduced to Steve McMillan through a mutual friend who knew both loved ice hockey. Their relationship blossomed, and they were married in 1992 at Christ Church in Alexandria. Steve was the love of Wendy’s life. Their mutual love of the Washington Capitals and the Washington Nationals allowed them to attend many games and enjoy the sports scene. She learned to embrace Penn State (Steve’s alma mater) and the Nittany Lions, fueled in no small measure by her love of the famous grilled stickie buns. They also were very involved in discussing and following politics. Their relationship was strong and resulted in the next highlight of their life. Their son, Edward Wallace (“Gus”) McMillan, was born January 9, 1995, and he was baptized at Christ Church. At this point, Wendy and her family were in a truly blessed and wonderful place. In 1996 Wendy was diagnosed with MS. The disease progressed rapidly and soon Wendy was confined to a wheelchair. She was diagnosed with (and ultimately defeated) breast cancer in 1998. Wendy’s disability caused her to retire from the House of Representatives in 2009. In need of more care management as her conditions progressed, Cindy Jeffries joined the team as her nurse and became part of the family. Throughout her life, and in spite of the health obstacles, Wendy remained optimistic and inspirational, surrounded by family and friends. She lived to see her Capitals win the Stanley Cup and see her Nationals win the World Series. Her last Caswell Beach trip was in 2019, where the house was full of multiple related families (McMillan, Madson, Milligan and Steed), and a good time was had by all. She became a voracious reader – “real” science fiction, thrillers, romance – with a hard copy book collection exceeding 1,000 and another 1,000 on her e-readers. She had a loving family, great friends and a strong faith in God, which allowed her to celebrate each day of life. May we see Wendy as an example of how to be faithful, strong and optimistic in the face of adversity. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, the Prevent Cancer Foundation, or the Wellspouse Association. Viewing is scheduled at Jefferson Funeral Chapel on Friday, January 31, between 6-9 p.m. Funeral services are scheduled for Christ Episcopal Church (historicchristchurch.org) on Saturday, February 1, at 1 p.m., followed by a reception in the auditorium.