Angela Milan

Angela Shofner Alexander Milan passed away at home at 7:26 a.m. on Saturday, July 18, 2020, surrounded by her family. She was 69 years old. She had sudden onset seizures on May 14, 2020, and discovered she had endometrial cancer which had metastasized to the brain. Her passing was sudden and unexpected yet peaceful with hospice services at home.

Angela was born on December 30, 1950 at King's Daughters' Hospital in Columbia. She was the second of four children born to the late Marian McEwen and Clarence Fussell Alexander, Jr. She grew up on the family farm in Mt. Pleasant, where she developed a lifelong love of animals, especially baby pigs and chickens.

She attended Hay Long High School in Mount Pleasant, where she met her future husband and love of her life, Jim Milan, at age 15. Upon her graduation in 1968, she attended Cumberland College for two years, completing her bachelor's degree at Middle Tennessee State University in 1972.

Angela and Jim married on June 22, 1972. They made their home initially on Big Swan Creek Road and then moved to Hohenwald, in 1980, where they raised two daughters. Amanda was born in 1976 and Amelia followed in 1981. They bought seven acres of land and fulfilled their dream of building a solar house. Angela was a patient and loving mother, wonderful mother-in-law, and doting grandmother to her two granddaughters.

She began her career as a kindergarten teacher until Amanda was born in 1976. After staying home for many years to care for both Amanda and Amelia, she returned to teaching elementary school. She later worked in adult education at the vocational school, teaching GED classes. She was also a seasonal tax preparer with H&R Block in Hohenwald.

Angela was an optimist who was habitually early everywhere she went. She loved nature and enjoyed hiking and camping. She loved coffee and sweet wine and thought Vitamin C was the cure for all of life's ills. Most of all, she loved spending time with her family and friends and she always ended a visit with her daughters with little bags of goodies.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 44 years, James Milan; parents, Marian and Clarence Alexander Jr.; sister, Alexandria (Barbara) Quinn; former brother-in-law, Earl Pettus; and mother-in-law Mary Elizabeth Breece Milan Bastin.

She is survived by her daughters, Amanda (Brent) Smith and Amelia (Eric) Evans; her granddaughters, Georgia and Cecilia Evans; her brothers, C.F. Alexander and Bill Alexander; niece, Elizabeth (Sammy) McCanless; nephew, Richard (Judy) Pettus; great niece, Karsyn McCanless; great nephews, Gunnar Pettus and Brady McCanless.

A Celebration of Angela's life was held Saturday, July 25 at 2 p.m. at Williams Funeral Home in Columbia.

Williams Funeral Home assisted the family with arrangements.