Rev. Dr. William F. Milholland

1929 - 2025

Rev. Dr. William F. Milholland

August 21, 1929 - October 28, 2025

The Rev. Dr. William F. Milholland, 96, of Hickory, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, October 28, 2025, at Carolina Caring in Sherrills Ford.

Born August 21, 1929, in Iredell County, he was the son of the late Ira Franklin Milholland and Mabel Pressley Stikeleather Milholland.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Anne Beaver Milholland.

Dr. Milholland was a graduate of Boyden High School and Catawba College in Salisbury before joining the U.S. Navy in 1951. He served aboard the USS Thomas E. Fraser before being honorably discharged in 1955 as a Lieutenant.

Following his military service, he graduated in 1958 from Lutheran Southern Seminary in Columbia, SC, with his Master of Divinity before becoming ordained at Trinity Lutheran Church in Vale, NC. He went on to serve many congregations: Macedonia Lutheran Church (Burlington), Christ Lutheran Church (Roanoke, VA), St. Paul's Lutheran (Wilmington), and St. Andrew's Lutheran Church (Hickory).

While serving at St. Andrew's Lutheran Church, he received his Doctor of Divinity from Lenoir Rhyne College in 1988 and was instrumental in developing Lutherhaus Apartments.

Dr. Milholland was elected by the NC Synod as a delegate to three LCA Conventions. He was also elected to serve on many boards through the years, which he did with great commitment. After he retired, he continued to serve the community by volunteering for various organizations, including past President of the Hickory Choral Society and Chairman of the Lenoir Rhyne College Board of Trustees.

After his retirement from St. Andrew's Lutheran, he went on to serve as an interim pastor for several Lutheran congregations in the Hickory area.

In his spare time, he enjoyed travel, golf, photography, and singing, but his main source of enjoyment was time spent with his family. He will be deeply missed by all who knew him.

He is survived by his four sons, William F. Milholland, Jr, and wife, Susan of Wilmington, David C. Milholland and wife, Suzy of Mooresville, Paul B. Milholland and husband, Juan Carlos of New York, NY, and John C. Milholland and wife, Sarah T. of Huntersville; seven grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

A service to celebrate his life will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, December 6, 2025, at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church with the Rev. Chris Webb and the Rev. Hannah Norem officiating. The family will receive friends following the service in the church fellowship hall.

Memorials may be made in his memory to Holy Trinity Lutheran Church (Organ Fund), P.O. Box 9580, Hickory, NC 28603, or the William F. and Mary Anne Milholland Endowment Fund at Lenoir Rhyne University, 625 7th Ave NE, LRU 7467, Hickory, NC 28601.

Bass-Smith Funeral Home in Hickory is serving the Milholland family.