Thomas McMillan

SOUTH PORTLAND-Thomas McMillan, 74, passed away at the South Portland nursing home on January 18, 2020 after a long illness. Tom was born on July 29, 1946 to William and Mary McMillan in Glasgow, Scotland, where he lived until he was 16. In 1962, he and his family moved to Australia. Tom later moved to England and eventually Maine in the 1980's where he took a job as a machine operator at Burnham & Morrill in Portland. Tom held a variety of different roles throughout his career at B&M until he retired in 2009. Tom is fondly remembered by his family and everyone who knew him as a funny, kind, selfless individual who truly never met a stranger. His generosity went beyond the love and kindness he shared with his family, as he dedicated years of his life as a volunteer for the American Red Cross and The Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland. Among his many volunteer roles, Tom participated in the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life, helped in the rescue and recovery efforts after Hurricane Katrina, and dedicated the entirety of his retirement years to fostering and caring for dogs through the Animal Refuge League. He was often known as Santa at Christmas time, donning the costume for area organizations and family functions. He had a fascination with all things mafia related and could often be found reading biographies and fiction related to the subject. He was a die hard Chicago Bears fan and an unfortunate Yankees fan in Red Sox territory. Tom was also a very active man. He loved to be on the go, mostly visiting friends, walking dogs, selling collectibles in various local flea markets, and generally finding a way to stay busy with his many hobbies. An avid runner, Tom completed several marathons throughout his life in New York, Chicago, Australia, and the Maine Marathon. He is predeceased by both of his parents and his sister, Violet. He is survived by his best friend and lifelong partner, Janet Vivar, her 6 children and 12 grandchildren who he treated as his own; Violet's husband, Jim Mclean, and their daughter Fionna; sister Wilma Bidmade, her husband David, their daughter Kim and son Terry; brother William, his wife Kaye, their son John; sister Maj Williams, her husband Brian, their daughter Marissa; brother John, his wife Roslyn, their daughters Rachel Cowan and Stephanie McMillan; brother George; brother Bryan, his wife Lorraine, their son Stewart; sister Raye McDonald, her husband John, their sons Scott, Cameron, and Lachlan. A graveside service will be held at 11:00AM on Saturday, February 1, 2020 at Brooklawn Memorial Park 2002 Congress Street in Portland. A celebration of Tom's life will be hosted by the family at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland.

Thomas McMillan

July 29, 1946 - January 18, 2020

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