Mildred “Millie” Stratton of Alhambra, California, passed away peacefully in her home on July 15, 2020. She was 102 years old.

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Mildred May LeGuin was born May 20, 1918, in Alhambra, California. She was the daughter of Etta May Dickson LeGuin and Joseph Eugene LeGuin and granddaughter of Sierra Madre founding members Mary and John Dickson. She had one sibling, her older brother, Clifford “Bud” LeGuin, who died in 1991. Millie married Charles Jackson “Jack” Stratton, on January 12, 1941. They had three children, John, Marie, and Judith. John died in 2016.

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Raised during the Great Depression, Millie was a shy child who knew hardship. However, her openness to new experiences and relationships fostered a confidence and resilience that was evident throughout her life. As an adult, Millie became a source of strength and a helper to others. She deeply appreciated her simple life and praised God for her loving family.

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Millie’s spiritual faith was central to her life. She was an active member of the Methodist Church starting when she was 8 years old. She was deeply involved in Marengo Methodist Church and then later at First United Methodist Church of Alhambra as a lay leader, member of several church committees, Sunday School teacher, and lifelong leader and mentor to the staff and congregation.

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At home, Millie and Jack enjoyed dancing at nightclubs during the Big Band era, raising their children, taking family road trips, hosting alcohol-free parties, and spending weekends at “the cabin” in the San Gabriel Mountains. Millie was a homemaker, Campfire Girl leader, and PTA member. She was a caregiver for loved ones, including her brother-in-law, mother, and mother-in-law. She opened up her home and heart to those who needed a safe and welcoming space, many who became lifelong dear friends.

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Amidst it all, Millie volunteered in the community, teaching English, assisting with coordination of local election polling places, and actively participating in a long-lived book club. She was a lifelong learner with a quick mind and active curiosity. After Jack’s death on September 21, 1978, Millie offered her experience to others by teaching life skills workshops for women preparing for widowhood.

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Millie lived in the same Alhambra neighborhood her entire life and traveled mainly on family road trips, but her world was not small. More than 150 friends, family, and church members attended Millie’s 100th birthday celebration in 2018. There, she shared, “Living in the same place has not prevented me from experiencing the world’s cultures. I have been blessed to have the world come to me through my friends.”

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Millie was known for her open heart, strength, independence, guidance, and especially her love for her family, friends, and church community. She will be deeply missed by her daughters Marie Cole (husband Paul Cole) and Judi Stratton (husband Karl Krauskopf); daughter-in-law Dorothy Stratton; granddaughters Maretta, Minda, Catherine, and Elaine; and great-grandchildren, Tobias, Oliver, and Elise. We celebrate her life and take comfort in knowing that she is with her husband Jack, her brother Bud, her son John, her best friend Kay, and other loved ones who passed on before her. Written condolences to the family may be delivered to First United Methodist Church of Alhambra, Attn: Stratton Family, 9 N. Almansor St., Alhambra, CA 91801.

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“My life has been, and still is, a rich and colorful tapestry that fills me with love. Thank you all for being a part of my life.” – Millie Stratton, May 2018