Theresa Jane Singley Milligan (August 16, 1943- April 14, 2022) lived a beautiful and dignified life. A discerning woman of exquisite taste, she provided comfort and solace while asking little in return. Her husband, Bruce H. Milligan, adored her. Together, they taught their children, Bruce and Ashley (Lee), integrity, loyalty, and compassion. They imbued them with the confidence necessary to pursue life with a pervasive, contagious fervor. Theresa was the youngest of her beloved siblings, with her brother, Gene A. (Peggy) Singley, decd., Atlanta, GA; and her sister, Marion S. (Robert) Wood, decd., Hilton Head, SC.

Theresa was born in Atlanta, GA. Before accepting a piano scholarship, she graduated from North Fulton High School to attend Stetson University in DeLand, FL. She received a double Bachelor of Arts in English and Music - specializing in Piano Performance.

Upon graduating from college, she took an adventure and taught school in Bermuda at Kindley Air Force Base. She loved her students, working with children, enjoying the occasional half-pint at the pub, and besting officers and piolets with her newly-acquired dart skills. Ever an anglophile, she notably had the opportunity to meet Prince Charles when he visited Gibbs Hill Lighthouse.

Upon returning to Atlanta, GA, Theresa began a courtship and eventually married Bruce Howard Milligan. After their wedding, the happy couple moved to Boston, MA, where Bruce received his MBA from Harvard, and they welcomed their first child, Bruce Howard Milligan II. Three years later, in Atlanta, GA, they welcomed their second child, a daughter Ashley (Lee) Theresa Milligan.

Over the next decade, the couple moved from Atlanta, GA, to Darien, CT, and back again. Bruce and Theresa thrived as proud parents. Theresa confessed, "I loved being a mom, and becoming a mother was the greatest blessing and surprise of my life." There is nothing to compare to it!" When she wasn't in her role as a doting mother, Theresa enjoyed playing tennis (playing on an ALTA A-2 level team for many years) and playing her baby grand piano as much as possible. She was indeed a gifted, sophisticated, and multi-talented woman.

Bruce and Theresa were both heavily involved in politics during their marriage. After Bruce passed away suddenly in 1990 from melanoma, Theresa worked as an independent and talented interior decorator, eventually working for John Wieland Homes. Theresa found her way back to politics and a new career working as Special Projects Director for the U.S. Senate under Georgia Senator Saxby Chambliss until her retirement (2003-2015). In the Senate office, she was affectionately referred to as "Mother Theresa."

Never one to settle, Theresa, a lifelong creative with a love of and natural talent for the piano, earned a Master of Music in Piano Pedagogy from Shorter University in 2013. She was diagnosed with MDS and received a successful bone marrow transplant the same year. This procedure prolonged her life but wasn't without its struggles and hardships. Close friends and family rallied around Theresa through these challenging years, and her family will be ever grateful for this love and support.

Outside of being a wonderful and supportive mother and everyone's best friend, Theresa's greatest passions were working with people and lifting them up. She rarely pursued a goal she didn't succeed at. A gifted correspondent, she excelled at etiquette, spelling, and grammar and would hate that the last sentence ended with a preposition. She was a kind person, a good friend, and a good neighbor. If you were lucky enough to have known her, you probably loved her. With her passing, this world has lost a true light, uniquely gifted, and sweet spirit.

Send to someone

Share this obituary with others

https://everloved.com/life-of/theresa-milligan/obituary/

Copy