Barbara J. Milligan, 92, of Waterloo died Friday, Jan 13, at Ravenwood Nursing and Rehabilitation Center of natural causes.

Barbara was born July 9, 1919, in Des Moines, Iowa, daughter of Carl and Rose Duncan Allender.  She graduated from East High School in Des Moines.  She married Richard “Dick” Milligan on Nov. 16, 1942, to whom she was completely devoted until his death in 1991.  Barbara worked as a receptionist in the lab at Shoitz Hospital for 22 years, retiring in 1984.  She was a member of Waterloo First Methodist Church.

Barb and Dick moved frequently for a while after Dick returned from his World War II service.  After leaving Des Moines, they moved to Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, followed by brief stints in Fenimore, Wisconsin, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Jefferson, Iowa, and finally on to Waterloo, Iowa in 1953, where they remained.

Barb had a number of interests which she pursued with a passion.  She and Dick loved to travel and eventually visited 49 of the 50 states.  Their mode of travel was always by auto and they spent countless hours looking through the windshield.  Many of their trips were to visit their son and daughter-in-law in the various states in which they were stationed while serving in the Air Force.  There were many laughter filled moments recalling the trials and tribulations of so many hours in the car, highways traveled, and motels visited.

Whenever you saw Barbara Milligan, you could be sure a deck of cards was close by.  If there was no one around, she could bid and play all four hands of bridge.  Solitaire was always a favorite when sitting at the table or using a board on her lap.  Countless hours were spent in the dining room with friends and family playing marathon games of poker.  She was not finicky about any particular game with Bridge, Solitaire, Cribbage, Rummy, Poker, and Pepper receiving equal time. 

Survived by: two sons, J.C. (Helen) of Waterloo and Jeffrey (Caren) of San Antonio, TX; two grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren.

Preceded in death by: a brother, Robert Allender.