Carleen Kay Hedlun Milburn of Cascade, MT., died June 17, 2019.
Carleen was born on January 22, 1954, in Williston, ND, to William “Bill’ Carl Hedlun and Vera Campbell Hedlun. As a young girl, Carleen lived with her family on a ranch outside of Utica, MT., before the family moved to Lewistown.
Carleen graduated from Fergus High School in 1972 and later married her high school sweetheart, Mike Milburn, in 1974. After graduating from Montana State University, they spent their early married years moving around the country as a young Air Force family.
Mike and Carleen returned to Montana, and in 1983 they bought a small place outside of Cascade. They expanded this over time and the two of them built a beautiful house and home where they raised their three children.
Carleen was very involved in the Cascade community. She taught Sunday School for 20 years, taught aerobics for over 30 years, and was always a smiling presence at the school and community events. She was integral in running the family farm, owned The Country Christmas Store in Great Falls, and was a constant supporter of Mike’s endeavors.
Carleen was passionate about art, history, and travel, and was a skilled freelance writer who loved covering the Arts and the West. Her writing took her from the studios of some of our country’s finest artists to the hogans of the Navajo’s Grandmother Weavers. She also co-authored a book on the colorful Taos Society Artist, Leon Gaspard. Carleen’s family was lucky to have a dedicated historian who organized and documented their rich Montana history.
More than anything else, it was faith, family and generosity that defined Carleen. She spent her life living for others, and even when diagnosed with an aggressive cancer, her faith and focus on others did not falter.
She was happiest when she and Mike were quietly watching the blue herons on their pond or when she was reading aloud to a grandchild snuggled beside her. Carleen had a way of making even the smallest moments special for her family.
To read the complete obituary and share condolences, visit the Schnider Funeral Home website.
