Mrs. Millicent Kathleen Churbuck, 83, passed away peacefully Thursday, January 8, 2026. She was born March 3, 1942, in Hinsdale, Illinois, daughter of Trevor Llewellyn Davies and Winnetta Amelia (Zalus) Davies. As the eldest of four—Lynn, Trevor, and Robert—she was “Kathy” in those early years, until Iowa became home and she became “Milly” to all who knew her.
Milly’s spirit was equal parts intellect and adventure. She graduated from Hinsdale High in 1960 and went on to earn her Bachelor of Science degree in Education from Northwestern University. She took summer courses at the University of Hawaii in Honolulu where she spent her free time learning to surf. She embraced life fully, always seeking new experiences.
June 12, 1964, she married Lewis Marshall Churbuck, Jr., beginning a love story that would span five decades. After Marshall’s service in the Navy, they settled in Fayette, Iowa, where “Marshall and Kathy” became the beloved “Lew and Milly”. While Lew completed his degree at Upper Iowa University, Milly began teaching second grade in Sumner.
Milly stepped away from teaching when their daughter, Kimberly Michelle was born in 1968, followed by Lewis Marshall Churbuck, III, in 1972. In 1974, Milly was the first woman on the Fayette City Council, quietly breaking barriers while raising two children.
Education wasn’t just Milly’s profession; it was her lifelong passion. She never stopped learning or refining her experiments. Her home was a place of constant creation – the weekly aroma of her homemade bread baked from scratch, long before the invention of the bread maker. Everything she touched seemed to flourish. Her nurturing way with plants blossomed into work as a horticulturist in the greenhouse at Upper Iowa, her yard was her canvas: roses, perennials, a thriving vegetable garden and herbs that she tended with such devotion.
Milly also loved animals and nature. Lew often brought wildlife home to rehab in those early years – a red fox was her favorite. When Lew brought home a less temporary houseguest – a squirrel monkey – she was not quite as enthusiastic but treated him like family.
As her interest in photography developed, she created a darkroom in her house. For many years, she stood on the sidelines of athletic games and took pictures. She loved sewing projects – she made many stuffed animals and dolls. She enjoyed quilting but found the local fabric supply a bit limited. She was curious about dyeing her own fabric, although there was very little information to be found. Before long she’d immersed herself in the process. Eventually, she thought other quilters might have an interest. She traveled first to local quilt shows then around the country with her hand-dyed fabric. Every year, there was a new color collection and a quilt showing off the colors. She did well – and had quite a following. Her fabric has appeared in magazines and traveled around the world. But most of all, she valued the friends made along the way; those connections brought her such joy.
Milly will be remembered for her kind heart, the twinkle in her eye, and her radiant smile that could light up a room.
In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Fayette Public Library or your local Humane Society.