Leon Milam

Edgar Leon Milam, 74, of McRae, Arkansas, went home to be with his Lord and Savior surrounded by many of his family and friends on September 2, 2012. Leon fought to the very end a courageous battle with cancer that he was only diagnosed with on July 23, 2012. Leon was born January 7, 1938 in Cocklebur, Arkansas to Esther and Dewey Milam who both precede him in death. Leon also had two brothers, Gid and J.D. Milam and a long-time childhood friend Buddy Morrow who preceded him in death.
Leon is survived by his lovely, devoted wife of fifty-three years, Shirley (Combs) Milam of McRae; one sister, Fay (Richard) Elliott of Mayflower; five children, Linda Northern, Deby (Rusty) Kirk, Edward (Mary) Milam, and Jennifer (Scotty) Sloan, all of McRae and Belinda (Basil) Butler of Beebe; fifteen grandchildren, Joshua, Jerrod, James (Susan), Kyle (Mandy) Elissa (Joey), Ben (Kourtney), Remanda, Wesley, Brittany (Brandon), Christina, Sarah, Emily (Tyler), Pearson, Colton and Rachel; eleven great-grandchildren, Jacob, Jordan, Audrianna, Izabelle, Jackson, Lillian, Ha'myleigh, Aden, Austin, Kaitlin and Makayla; and many, many special sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, nieces, nephews and friends, too many to name one by one.
Leon was a jack-of-all-trades and could build anything with his hands. Leon was most known in McRae for his twenty-two years as the mail carrier and his twenty-two years on the McRae Fire Department. Leon also served in the U.S. Air Force and was a 32nd degree mason. Leon was very well known for his big, giving, loving heart, helping many people physically and financially over the years, especially during the McRae tornados of 1999. Leon loved, loved, loved to hunt and everyone knew if you needed anything from Leon after October you would have to go get him from the deer woods.
Leon was raised Baptist but later in life began attending a Pentecostal Church and would often refer to himself as "Bapticostal".
A celebration of Leon's life will be at Westbrook Funeral Home in Beebe, with viewing Friday, September 7, 2012 from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. and funeral Saturday, September 8, 2012 at 2:00 p.m.
Leon's family would like to give a special thank you to Arkansas Hospice staff Kari, Katie and Sonja and the nurses on 2North at White County Hospital.