Dr. Robert McKenzie McMillan

1922 - 2013

Dr. Robert McKenzie McMillan

Robert McKenzie McMillan ("Dr. Mac") passed away peacefully on Tuesday, April 24, 2013, at 91.

He had spent a lifetime as a Christian minister, preaching around the world, and reviving, building and pastoring churches in four countries.

Dr. McMillan was born February 13, 1922, in Glasgow, Scotland, and his Scottish roots were treasured throughout his life.

He began religious studies as a teenager at the Bible Training Institute in Glasgow.

In 1943, he married Jane Smith, (Jeannie), and they moved to the tiny fishing village of Pittenweem, in Fife, north of Edinburgh, where he became the pastor of the Baptist Church, his first church.

Their first child, Ruthie, was born in Glasgow, in 1945. After serving at the City Road Baptist Church in Birmingham, England, they emigrated to Canada, where he pastored churches in Toronto and Montreal.

Their second daughter, Pauline, was born in 1952, in Montreal, just before the family moved to the United States.

After serving at churches in Chicago, Erie, St. Louis, Wichita Falls, Texas, and Detroit, Dr. Mac and Jeannie moved to Miami in 1965, and finally Tallahassee in 1971.

Dr. McMillan's tenure at the First Baptist Church of Tallahassee included the building of the Christian Life Center and the Chason Memorial Building.

He and Jeannie touched thousands of lives directly and through the church's television ministry.

He served as Chaplain for the Florida Senate, and served on the board of Regents of Stetson University.

Dr. McMillan retired from First Baptist in 1985. But he continued to preach and pastor at other churches in Florida and Georgia until 1995, when he joined the Bradfordville First Baptist Church. During his pastorship at Bradfordville, a new sanctuary was built (which is now called the McMillan Center, in honor of Dr. Mac and Jeannie; and the groundwork was laid for further expansion of the church.

He retired again, in 2002.

Dr. McMillan was the author of three books. I'm Human, Thank God was re-published in 2009.

Dr. and Mrs. McMillan spent their retirement years at Westminster Oaks in Tallahassee. He is survived by his wife of seventy years, Jeannie; his brother James, of Tallahassee; sisters Isobel Yeats, in Canada

and Daveen McRitchie, in Scotland.

He is also survived by his daughter, Ruthie Weidman, in Texas; two grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by daughter Pauline Blankenship, of Tallahassee.

A memorial service will be held at a later date.

In leiu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to the Westminster Oaks Foundation, 4449 Meandering Way, Tallahassee, FL 32308; Big Bend Hospice, 1723 Mahan Center Blvd., Tallahassee, FL 32308; First Baptist Church of Tallahassee, 108 West College Ave., Tallahassee, FL 32301; or Bradfordville First Baptist Church, 6494 Thomasville Rd., Tallahassee, FL 32312.

Bevis Funeral Home, 850-385-2193, www.bevisfh.com, is in charge of the arrangements.