Stephen James Millner – 50th Reunion Essay

Stephen James Millner

321 Yardley Newtown Road

Yardley, PA 19067

stephen.millner.tc.69@aya.yale.edu

215-321-0171

Spouse(s): spouse: Marie Kane (2001)

Child(ren): Anna Ravasio (1984); Philip James Millner (1989)(active, US Army); Stepchildren: Sarah Kane Pratta (1976), Thomas Kane (1980), Elizabeth Kane Honan (1983)

Grandchild(ren): Lucas James Pratta (2013), Thomas James Millner (2014)

Education: Yale University BA (Fine Arts) 1969; University of Maine School of Law, JD 1978; Wayne State University Law School, LLM (Taxation) 1983

Career: Legal Consultant, Estate Planning, Financial Planning, Business Transition

Avocations: Classical guitar, electric guitar, Fine Arts (Photography, Printmaking, MIxed Media). Yardley Borough Council 1990–1998, President, Artists of Yardley (2004–2009)

College: Trumbull

My undergraduate time at Yale was characterized by an urge to experience everything and to question everything—which I did, I’m happy to say. Unfortunately, I did not immediately follow through with my BA in fine arts; I got a law degree from the University of Maine instead. I practiced law for 37 years; but eventually, I re-identified myself as an artist. For five years, I was the president of my local artist organization [Artists of Yardley (PA)] and became active in several Philadelphia arts organizations. My art output has ranged from metal sculpture, to photography, to mixed media, to 3D assemblage, for which I’ve been fortunate to win some awards and have art shows in the tri-state area. At present, I’m decorating ukuleles—and they play well!

One achievement has been the raising of my two children, Anna and Philip. Although I was never a perfect parent (who is?), I do take great pride in the results: Anna’s own art career, and her flexible yet unceasing devotion to helping others, and Phil’s continuing service to our country: he’s now in his third deployment, in Iraq.

In 2002, I married my dear wife, Marie Kane. We have five children between us and two precious grandsons. Marie was diagnosed with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis in 2005; I am her main caregiver. Marie is an award-winning poet with two books published. Presently we are working on a book with her poetry and my art on the goddess Persephone, called Persephone’s Truth, due out later in 2018.

In 2016, I was diagnosed with AL amyloidosis, a rare, incurable bone marrow disease. At first I was convinced that my illness was payback for my wild and reckless youth. I would have been fine with that, but that is not the case; no one knows why amyloidosis occurs. I’m in remission now and hope that continues.

Every so often I find myself reflecting on the past; it’s nice to know that I can still grow. I continue to maintain contact with Yale primarily through the Yale Precision Marching Band. I achieved a perfect record as an undergraduate, never missing a football game—which is all the more amazing in light of my sometime emotional and social disarray. Until recently, I enjoyed rejoining the YPMB for the at-Princeton football games, and I always have a YPMB T-shirt handy. Then, as now, the band was an irreverent, uninhibited, and fun-loving organization with an underlying devotion to music and to Yale. The band is a metaphor for my life: always on the verge of being out of control yet guided by a strong work ethic and principles of social responsibility.

The other special thing that I’ve kept from my Yale days is my love for the Grateful Dead—thanks, Dave Lawrence! stephenmillner.com.