AILA O. ‘EILEEN’ MILENDER

A private family memorial service and interment at Hamilton Cemetery in rural Racine, Mn., for Aila O. “Eileen” Milender, 90, of Stewartville, Mn., will take place at a later date.
Mrs. Milender passed away Friday, May 23, 2008 of natural causes at the Stewartville Care Center where she had resided since July of last year.
Aila Onerva Blom was born Sept. 13, 1917 in Crozier, Ont. She grew up on the family farm in Canada and attended rural schools.
She was married in Dance, Ont. to Lawrence A. Fults. They both were employed at a logging camp in Kenora, Ont.; she as a baker and cook and he as a logger.
They moved to Chicago, Ill. and were later divorced.
She was married in Chicago to Elton Daughtry and they moved to International Falls, Mn., where they were later divorced.
She married Jack Sweeney in International Falls, where they lived for a number of years. She was a homemaker and longtime member of the Zion Lutheran Church in International Falls.
She moved to Salem, Ore. in 1989 to live near her daughter until moving to Stewartville in 2003.
She enjoyed dancing, bird-watching, flower gardening, travelling, and pie and coffee.
Survivors include three daughters, Judith Montoya of Lynden, Wash., Darlene (Leroy) Johnson of Racine, Mn., and Sandra (Paul) Morigeau of Carson City, Nev.; a son, Jack (Brandi) Sweeney Jr. of Duluth, Mn.; 12 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren; special friend, Peggy Edens of Ranier, Mn.; and many nieces and nephews in Canada.
She was predeceased by her parents, John and Hilma Blom; a daughter, Roxann; son-in-law, Edward Montoya; three sisters; a brother; and two grandsons, Jorge Montoya and Robert Colombe.