Posted on 07/02/2018
Richard D. Milligan (September 6, 1936 - June 28, 2018)
Rear Admiral Richard David Milligan, 81, passed away in Chesapeake, VA on 28 June 2018 due to complications from dementia. Rich, an identical twin, was born first on 6 September 1936 in Livingston, NJ to Barbara & Andrew J. Milligan, Sr. His identical twin, James, followed six minutes later. Of Rich's six siblings, he is survived by Major General Robert F. Milligan and his wife, June, and Elaine Sherman and her husband, Jack. He was predeceased by his twin, Jimmy, his sisters Lillian and Gayle, and his brother, Andy.
Rich followed his brother Bob (USNA 56) to the Naval Academy graduating in 1959. His first ship was the USS Ault (DD 698) stationed in Norfolk, which is when he met the love of his life, Mary Bourke Reid. After a whirlwind courtship and a 7 month deployment, they married at St. Paul's in Portsmouth VA. They were blessed with 56 years of marriage and three children. Over the next 30 years, Rich had an amazing career in the Navy. He had command of five ships, including the battleship New Jersey (BB 62). His career took his family all over the country with duty stations from Rhode Island to Hawaii. He ended his naval career as the Budget Director of the Navy. He was well loved by those who served with him. After retiring from the Navy, Rich held the Financial Management Chair at the Naval Postgraduate School and really rekindled his love of golf. Rich and Mary Bourke ultimately retired to Pawleys Island SC where he was active in the Red Cross, at his church Precious Blood and on the golf courses of the area.
Rich is survived by his wife Mary Bourke, a daughter Hunter and her husband Michael Lockett and grandsons Sullivan and Patrick, a son Bourke and his wife Liz and grandchildren Jenn, Matthew and Abbie, and a son Reid and his wife Katie and grandchildren Connor and Rowan.
A funeral mass will be held at Sacred Heart in Norfolk, VA and he will be inurned at the Columbarium at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Alzheimer's Foundation in Rich's memory. He will be missed by all who had the pleasure of knowing him.
Cremation Society of Virginia
5265 Providence Rd
Virginia Beach, VA 23452
(757) 474-9409
Published in The Sun News on July 1, 2018