John A. Milling

John “Ace” Milling, 75, died peacefully surrounded by family on May 11, 2025, after facing a difficult illness with strength and dignity. He was born on September 12, 1949 at the old Scripps Hospital in La Jolla, California to John and Esther Milling. John grew up on La Jolla beaches and spent summer vacations in Texas with his aunts, uncles, cousins, and loving sister Mindi Simoneau. John attended the University of Arizona, and in 1970 joined the US Army, serving honorably in Germany until 1972. In 1975, he married Suzannah Cannon, a strong-willed Midwestern girl who always knew he was the one for her. The two began their life together in Hanford, California where John trained at Cal-Ag-Aero cropdusting school, before joining Garriott Cropdusting in Bakersfield. There he few Stearmans, Ag-Cats, and Rockwell Thrush Commanders often only five feet above the ground on large cotton and grape corporate farms. John and Suzannah welcomed their children, John Charles (Jennifer) and Kathleen Elizabeth (Kris) in Bakersfield. In 1985, the family moved to Columbus, Ohio where John was employed at the Ohio State University as Flight Training Coordinator and head coach of the OSU flight team. He ended his 40-year aviation career in 2012 after serving as a Pilot for the State of Ohio where he transported five governors on state business. Just for fun, in 2011, John obtained his Seaplane Rating at Jack Brown’s Seaplane base in Florida. In all, he amassed well over 15,000 flight time hours doing what he most loved to do. John was quietly confident, fearless, and a prolifc tinkerer who found great contentment with his life as it was. He carried himself with grace and kindness and never had a mean or self-pitying bone in his body even as his illness progressed. John cherished time with his family, especially his beloved grandchildren: Theodore and Hayes Milling and Maren Kling. The family would like to express heartfelt thanks to Dr. David Hinkle from Ohio Health, the compassionate caregivers, therapists, and special friends at Harrison on Fifth, the kind nurses at Kobacker House, and all the family and friends with whom he shared beers, bourbons and cigars, who made him laugh, engaged in shenanigans, and loved and supported him. John was predeceased by his parents and his wonderful niece Carolyn Simoneau. A celebration of John’s life will be held at the Park of Roses in Clintonville on June 5, 2025 from 5:30- 9:30- with tacos for all. His ashes will be scattered in the Pacific Ocean later this summer. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to CurePSP, 325 Hudson Street, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10013.