Joseph Franklin Milan MD

Dr. Milan passed away Monday, February 6, 2023, surrounded by his family in the comfort of his home. He was born September 21, 1927, in Garden City, Kansas to Joseph Myron Milan and Mildred Thomason Milan. After graduating from Indianapolis Arsenal Technical High School in 1944, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He was completing training as a corpsman, preparing for the looming invasion of Japan, when V-J Day arrived. Later in life, he would remind his children and grandchildren every so often, they “probably wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for the atom bomb” which ended the war allowing him to return to Indiana.

After the war, he enrolled at Indiana University in Bloomington, where he was a member of Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity and earned a bachelor’s degree in 1948. Having discovered his passion for medicine, he applied and was accepted into the Indiana University School of Medicine that fall. During medical school he fell in love with a bright, beautiful young farm girl named Martha Roena Trimble. In the fall of 1951 Joe proposed to Roena and he married the love of his life on December 30, 1951. He graduated from medical school in the summer of 1952, and he and Roena moved to Phoenix, Arizona where the newly accredited Dr. Milan began his surgery residency and internship at the Good Samaritan, VA and Maricopa County hospitals. Five years later, after completing his surgery training they returned to Indiana, where Joe would establish a successful 40-year career in general, thoracic, and vascular surgery in Bloomington, Indiana. As a dedicated physician Dr. Joe passionately cultivated other interests outside the operating room, most notably aviation and golf.

Joe’s time in the cockpit started when he obtained his private pilot’s license during his residency in Phoenix. Over the next five decades he would log nearly 10,000 hours of flight time. Throughout his medical career, he would expand his aviation skills: earning a private pilot’s license, instrument, commercial and multi-engine ratings as well as type ratings in Cessna Citation and Astra jet aircraft. Because of his exceptional aviation skill and expertise he was afforded the opportunity to fly part-time for Bloomington-based Cook Medical and the Rogers Group. As an avid Hoosier basketball fan and faithful booster, he flew Coach Bob Knight cross-country on several key recruiting trips.

To most people who knew him, perhaps the most vivid, cherished memories of Joe Milan have a common setting: the golf course. He was self-taught beginning at the age 25 until his final swings at age 90. Joe recorded an astounding 21 holes-in-one throughout his golfing career. Another amazing accomplishment was that at the age of 68 he began to shoot his age and from that time on we lost track of how many times he “shot his age” on the course. He loved to compete and his home is filled with plaques and trophies commemorating his winning accomplishments. One of his true gifts was passing on his knowledge of and passion for the game to others. Intellectually curious by nature with a knack for teaching, he patiently and tirelessly helped several of his children and grandchildren build their games from the putting green to the tee, with countless hours in between spent honing their wedges at the short game area. A well-known and beloved member at his home clubs, Bloomington Country Club and Hollytree Country Club, Joe forged many of his closest friendships on the golf course. He so enjoyed the competition and camaraderie of his fellow golf buddies especially settling up at the end of the round with their bags of quarters.

Dr. Milan was a man of deep faith and he was a dedicated member of Green Acres Baptist Church in Tyler for many years. Known for his love of laughter and humor, his most common adage to his children and grandchildren was, “Just go have fun.” He is survived by Martha Roena Milan, his loving wife of over 70 years; his two sons, Michael and Gregory; his three daughters, Terry Menner, Julie Wright and Lisa Webb; 15 grandchildren; and nine great grandchildren.

Services for Joseph F. Milan, M.D., 95, of Bloomington, Indiana and Tyler, Texas, will be held on Thursday, February 9, 2023, at Stewart Family Funeral Home Chapel in Tyler with Lanny Bridges officiating. A second service will held on Tuesday, February 14, 2023 at Day & Deremiah-Frye Funeral Home in Bloomington, Indiana with Dr. John Trent officiating.

In Iieu of flowers, one may make a donation to a charity of their choice.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.DayDeremiahFrye.com for the Milan family.