Obituaries

Ruth E. Walker Byrne

1909-2006

A funeral service for Ruth E. Walker Byrne, 96, a native Genoan and lifetime Nevada resident, will be 11 a.m. Friday at FitzHenry's Chapel of Faith.

Mrs. Byrne died Jan. 8, 2006, at the Evergreen Health Center in Gardnerville. She was born March 13, 1909, in Genoa, to Henry and Emma Crammer-Bahl Walker, a pioneer family. Her family originally arrived in the Genoa area in 1858.

She married William H. Byrne of Virginia City in 1932.

Before moving to Minden, she lived in Virginia City, Genoa, Carson City and Fallon.

Mrs. Byrne retired from the Genoa Elementary School in the 1950s, where she worked as a cook and custodian.

She volunteered for community projects, such as the Genoa Candy Dance. She enjoyed sewing, crocheting, friends and her grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband in 1975; sisters Arleen, Irene, and Bernice; and brothers John, Arthur and George.

Among her survivors are her daughter and son-in-law, Billie Jean and Don Rightmire of Genoa; grandchildren Terry Rightmire of Minden, Robin and wife Paula of Red Rock and Sheryl and husband Lou Dembeck of Reno; one great-grandson; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Burial will be at the Churchill County Cemetery in Fallon.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Genoa Museum, care of the Douglas County Historical Society, 1477 Highway 395 N., Gardnerville, NV, 89410.

FitzHenry's Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Nancy Christian Miluck

1932-2006

A celebration of life for Genoa Town Board member Nancy Christian Miluck, 73, was Sunday in the Genoa Town Hall. Mrs. Miluck died Jan. 3, 2006 at her home with her family present. She was a 36-year resident of the town.

Born Aug. 27, 1932, in San Antonio, Texas, to Charles and Nancy Simpson Christian, her mother died within a few months of her birth. Mrs. Miluck and her sister, Kitty, were raised by her aunt Nancy Simpson in Dallas until 1940. After 1940, she lived on her father's cattle ranch in Decatur, Texas, where she graduated from high school in 1948.

Mrs. Miluck received a bachelors degree in English from Southern Methodist University in 1953 and a masters in education in 1955 from the University of Texas at Austin.

She enrolled in journalism classes at Southern Methodist University in Dallas and worked for the Park Cities News, North Dallas Journal, The Dallas Times Herald and the Dallas Morning News.

She worked sales and public relations for Mexicana Airlines and after she was laid off, used passes to fly around the world.

Mrs. Miluck met her husband, Michael, in San Francisco in 1963 and the couple married Dec. 26, 1964.

The couple purchased their home in Genoa in 1969.

Mrs. Miluck participated in several town projects, including serving as Genoa Bicentennial chairman, obtained the grant to renovate the Genoa Town Hall, wrote the first two editions of "The Genoa-Carson Valley Book" to raise money for television translators and to make the down payment on the lot for the Genoa Town Park.

In 1978, she published "Nevada - This is Our Land," and taught as a substitute for Douglas County schools.

She participated in Candy Dance and was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

She was a member of the Genoa Historic District Commission and was serving on the town board when she died.

She wrote a column for the Reno Gazette-Journal about Carson Valley and published three Nevada history coloring books.

Between 1999 and 2001, she coordinated observance of Genoa's sesquicentennial and co-hosted television programs on local history.

She was a member of the Nevada Historical Society, the Nevada State Museum, the Western Trails Research Association, the Dallas Press Club, Mensa and the Carson Valley Historical Society. She participated in the Sierra Nevada Republican Women.

In 2004, Mrs. Miluck was elected to the Genoa Town Board.

Mrs. Miluck struggled with breast cancer in 1999 and 2000. In 2004, she was again diagnosed with breast cancer.

Mrs. Miluck is survived by her husband, Michael; daughter Mary Grace and son-in-law Terry Peterson; daughter Elise; and grandson John Michael Peterson.The family would like to thank Betty Bourne, Judie Brierly, Barbara Florman, the Hickey family and Marian Vassar for their help organizing the service.

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