George Millican, 81

WEST KINGSTON, R.I. – George Ronald Millican (known as Ron) passed away Feb. 12, 2022.

Ron had a good life and a good death. Beloved by his wife Laurie Heineman, his daughters Annie and Yulan and his late son Nico Millican, Ron lived a full and varied life.  After a more than 10-year journey with Alzheimer’s, COVID-19 led to a swift five-day decline, and he passed on near dawn in no pain. He was cared for by his family and the angels of Beacon Hospice.  Ron loved to dance and in his final days he was surrounded by music, singing, love and with family photos nearby.  All who knew him remember his enjoyment of dressing with his own style, so his family added a lace pocket square for his transition to Rhode Island Hospital, where his brain was donated for Alzheimer’s research as he desired.

Ron spent most of his early life in North Carolina and on Navy Bases.  While working his way through University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, he waited tables during summers at a hotel in Nantucket where he received advice from one of the patrons. “Try a career for two years, and if it doesn’t feel right, try another.” So after serving as a navigator on Navy supply planes during the Viet Nam war era, he worked in advertising in New York City, and then at Citibank with a stint in London in the early years of venture capital investing.

Later Ron developed and sold real estate on Long Island and in Manhattan, including housing for the elderly. In 1995, after getting a master’s of arts in teaching, he, Laurie, and their girls, moved to Kingston, where Ron worked for the East Bay Collaborative and Rogers High School. He completed his career at The Education Alliance at Brown University.

Contributions to Doctors Without Borders or The RI Alzheimer’s Association would be welcome.