John Arthur Millett

John Arthur Millett, 81, died peacefully in Wilmington, N.C., on March 18, 2025, with family at his side.
John was born in Queens, N.Y., on September 27, 1943, to George and Leonore (Torrey) Millett. He was the youngest of three boys and grew up active in the great outdoors of New York. He loved sailing, fishing, and his family's dogs, as well as anything with a motor.
He earned his undergraduate degree in geology from Hofstra University, as well as two master's degrees, civil engineering from the University of Vermont and environmental engineering from the University of Alabama.
He married the love of his life, Kate, on August 27, 1966, and they began an adventure that lasted more than 57 years. During his distinguished career in the Army, they lived in Germany and on many bases throughout the east coast and south. Their daughters Beth and Julie were born in Massachusetts and North Carolina respectively, but the family spent the longest stretch in Newburgh, Ind., where John continued to serve in the Army Reserves while working full-time for Alcoa, the company that turned aluminum (the "wonder metal," as John called it) into foil wrap and beverage cans, among many other innovations.
The family moved almost as much with Alcoa as it did with the Army, while John assisted in the environmental safety of decommissioning or remediation of manufacturing sites. Beth graduated high school in Indiana and Julie in Pittsburgh. As empty nesters, they lived in Massena, N.Y., and Knoxville, Tenn. John's last corporate posting was for almost 3 years in Lausanne, Switzerland.
John retired from both Alcoa and the Army (as a Lieutenant Colonel) in 2003. He and Kate settled in Wilmington and lived here longer than anywhere else in their lives. The following years were filled with international and domestic travel, including Australia, New Zealand, Russia, Portugal, Spain, and a once-in-a-lifetime African safari.
John was endlessly curious and an accomplished woodworker. He built a canoe and guitars from scratch, rebuilt a Triumph TR4 convertible, and crafted many a cutting board, serving tray and furniture pieces for friends and family. If something was broken, he fixed it. If something wasn't broken, he made it better. He and Kate designed and executed multiple home improvement projects in their homes as well as Beth and Julie's.
He was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2012 but never let that hold him back. He was an avid golfer and skier right up to the end, despite the decline in his abilities for both. Nevertheless, he persisted and enjoyed the companionship of many friends and family.
He was endlessly goofy, loving to make us laugh and to laugh right along with us. He was a stand-up guy until the end, never wanting to be an imposition on others and was a devoted caretaker for Kate during her two rounds of breast cancer. He instilled a strong work ethic in his girls and demonstrated an unfailing moral code. He volunteered for Habitat for Humanity and the Good Shepherd Center Soup Kitchen.
John is survived by his eldest daughter Beth and grandson Evan (14), and younger daughter Juliana Allely, son-in-law David, and granddaughters Katelin (17) and Sheridan (15). He is also survived by his eldest brother Warren (Brenda) and brother-in-law Bill (Paula) and sister-in-law Ann (Bud). He is preceded in death by his beloved wife Kate (January 2024) and older brother Bob (August 2024).
John and Kate will be interred together at Arlington Cemetery. Please subscribe to updates from his CaringBridge account https://bity.ly/johnmillett.
In lieu of flowers or gifts, please feel free to make a donation in his memory to The Parkinson's Foundation: http://www3.parkinson.org/goto/johnmillett
We are so thankful he is at rest now. His memory will live on in the hearts of all those who loved him. Funeral arrangements are trusted to Wilmington Funeral & Cremation - Wilmington Chapel, 1535 S. 41st Street Wilmington, NC 28403, (910) 791-9099. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of John, please visit our floral store.