Edith Williams Milbank

May 31, 1937 – January 4, 2026

Edith Paula Williams Milbank, known to all as “Dee,” passed away peacefully on January 4, 2026, with her children at her side. She was 88.

Dee was born on May 31, 1937, in Detroit, Michigan, to Bettina June and Clifford Victor Williams. She was a fraternal twin, sharing a lifelong bond with her sister Elizabeth, “Libby,” and joined an older half-sister, Mary Evans. After the death of her father when Dee was eleven, she was raised alongside her sisters by her mother and grandmother, May Bristol.

The family later moved to Dayton, Ohio, where Dee graduated from Dayton High School in 1955. Summers were often spent at a family cabin overlooking Lake Huron in Goderich, Ontario, Canada, surrounded by extended family, including her beloved Aunt Edith “Ede” Williams.

Dee attended the University of Michigan, where she joined the Pi Beta Phi sorority, before transferring to the University of New Mexico when her mother relocated to Albuquerque. In the summer of 1957, while helping her grandmother in Grants Pass, Oregon, Dee was set up on a blind date with M. Chapin Milbank, who was home on leave from the U.S. Navy. It was love at first sight. By December, they were engaged.

Chapin and Edith— “Chap and Dee”—were married on July 5, 1958, at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Grants Pass, followed by a garden reception overlooking the Rogue River. They shared a devoted marriage of 62 years. The couple settled in Salem, Oregon, where Chap attended Willamette University College of Law and started a law practice. Dee completed her studies at Oregon College of Education, focusing on art, and earned her teaching certificate in

1960.

Together they raised three children at their family home in Southeast Salem, where Dee’s artistic eye and practical sensibility created a welcoming space filled with beauty, warmth, and hospitality.

Dee made friends easily and was engaged in her community. She was active—often in leadership roles—in the Salem Art Association, American Association of University Women, The Terrace Club, Pi Beta Phi alumni, the Assistance League, and St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, where she served in Episcopal Church Women (ECW), St. Anne’s Guild, Committee for the Arts, and Altar Guild. As ECW president, she helped lead St. Paul’s sponsorship of Vietnamese family resettlements in 1975. Together with the families, she co-created the church’s first cha yo fundraiser, which continues today in support of the church’s music program.

She and Chap were also strong advocates for neighborhood safety and civic improvement, playing a key role in securing sidewalks and a traffic light at 12th and Madrona and supporting sensible development along the 12th Street corridor. Ever adaptable, Dee returned to school in 1983 to study information technology at Chemeketa Community College and went on to work

for the State of Oregon’s Division of Finance, assisting bank examiners until her retirement in 1990.

Later in life, Dee and Chap built a second home along the Santiam River, where they cherished new friendships, time with family, and planned their trips abroad. Dee especially loved her loft, where she created oil paintings reflecting the beauty of the surrounding landscape.

An avid reader, Dee followed politics closely, embraced feminist principles, and welcomed thoughtful debate. She was curious about people and their stories, and her conversations reflected a keen intellect and a lively spirit.

Dee is survived by her 3 children, Sam, Karen, and Cliff; their spouses, Edna, Bill, and Kristi; six grandchildren—Edward, Jennifer, Maren, Maeve, Rosalind, and Julia; and her greatgranddaughter,

Eleanor. She is also lovingly remembered by ten special nieces and nephews who were dear to her.

A celebration of life will be held at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 1944 High St., Salem, OR, 97302, on March 2 at 11:00 am with a reception to follow. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in her memory to St. Paul's Church or Oregon Public Broadcasting.