PRENTICE D. MILBURN AKA “DEWAIN”, “BUBBA”,”UNCLE FRED” was born on January 15, 1954 to Otto D. and Dorothy E. Milburn in Louisville, KY. The family moved to Florida in 1956 where he lived the rest of his life. He died on Friday, July 9th at 11:29pm.
He is survived by his sons; Danny Milburn, Aaron Anderson, and Tommy Anderson; 1 grandson, Dorian J. Milburn (2yrs old); 5 sisters, Margi Milburn, Judy Copenhaver, Brenda Herbst, Paula Dayvolt and Anita Murphy; brother David Milburn and brothers-in-law Randy Murphy and Bill Herbst; 13 Nieces and Nephews and 11 great nieces and nephews.
Margi remembers that for the last 20 years DeWain spent Sunday's with Randy Murphy (who he considered his brother) and family... eating Sunday dinner and watching sports, and NCIS on Tuesday's. Always enjoyed his Knock/Knock jokes.
Judy remembers DeWain coming to Arizona, a few years back to meet his nephew Rilee and niece Arya. DeWain told them, “My name is DeWain, most people call me Bubba, but you can call me “Fred”. So, Uncle Fred it has been.
On another trip we took him to Las Vegas.. Rob and Ashleigh took DeWain to Freemont St. for the local sights and entertainment. He came home and said, “I've seen things, I can't UN-SEE.” It was a wonderful family time.
Brenda said DeWain was a great younger brother. He was also a great uncle to Doug and a great father to Danny. As we all know, DeWain loved to cook. He was a very good cook. However..... once , when Danny was four or five, Danny wanted chocolate pudding. So, DeWain made him chocolate pudding. Unfortunately, DeWain and I were talking, and we were both watching TV, so.... DeWain wasn't paying attention to the pudding on the stove. The pudding was scorched! Luckily, DeWain had recently gotten into smoking meats. DeWain told Danny that he had made him "smoked pudding". Danny loved it. No one else would touch it, but Danny loved it. I can still see DeWain's face laughing about it afterward.
Years later, Bill and I had a cookout. DeWain brought those little sausages in barbecue sauce with cheese on top, wrapped in aluminum foil. Bill had never had those before. A couple of times a year, he mentions how good they were.
I make them for Bill pretty often, but I have never been able to match them. DeWain will be sorely missed. Godspeed my brother.
Paula remembers mowing lawns together, riding bikes to go fishing and telling jokes. He loved to cook, grill, and smoke all kinds of food. He was a great cook. He was also a good mechanic: he fixed my carburetor with a nail so my car would make it to Texas. He loved all kids and they loved him back.
Anita remembers the time they both had their tonsils removed and the doctor complained that in all his years he never had hemorrhage issues until they both hemorrhaged. She also remembers when he told his mom she couldn’t catch him and then she did by tying him in bed while asleep. The Sunday lunches while watching NASCAR, NFL Football and Hallmark Mystery moves. The time he had to remove one of the wood wall panels in the living room so the electrician could replace the house electrical panel while Randy was out on one of his trips. Also, capping of a water pipe in the back yard when it sprung a leak and we were on one of our road trips in the RV. I was blessed to have DeWain in our life especially full time since moving back to Florida 25 years ago.
Randy remembers on one of the trips to Florida from California that while out riding the ATV’s he toppled the ATV and broke his arm. And when we moved to Florida in 1996, he became my brother. We enjoyed our NFL Sunday’s, Hallmark mystery movies along with the recorded episodes of NCIS New Orleans and Last Man Standing. Tuesday nights were set aside for NCIS which we watched for eighteen seasons. Our occasional trips to Tampa for deviled crabs to the time we made it to a Tampa Buccaneers football game.
The time he came up with tickets to the ARMY-NAVY game in Philadelphia and gave them to Eddie and I so we could go and freeze our butts off as well as them giving me cleats worn by the center of the navy team during the game.
Can’t forget Hurricane season 2004 and after Hurricane Charley, he helped me replace a roof panel on the second story roof along with the missing insulation and then tarp the roof using firing strips and wood screws the tarp made it through Hurricane Frances and Jeanne and up until the roof was replaced. Bubba always put family first. He will be sorely missed!!!!!
Melissa said to add she remembers fondly his nickname for her “Gerdy nerdy” and she always thought of him as the cool uncle who used to drive 4 wheelers.??
Tater said my greatest memories of Uncle Bubba are Thanksgiving he would always carve the turkey and Christmas Eve he would come over and we would watch Christmas movies together our favorite was How the Grinch stole Christmas. Then he would come back over the next morning and open presents with us. Koa will always remember how Bubba would play him like a piano. Isaiah will miss their movie nights and endless laughing. Devin along with everyone else will miss his cooking. Bubba will be greatly missed.
Eddie said I’m going to miss seeing him for the holidays, his carving the ham or turkey, showing us his awesome cooking skills when he made his smoked treats or his beanie weenies. I’m going to miss him on Sunday watching football with us. I’ll never forget our fishing fun and my first deep sea fishing trip with him, we had a total blast. I’ll miss seeing him walk by any of the cats and tease them with a playful hiss, but I knew he loved them as they loved him too and always begged him to pet them. I’m truly going to miss his bubba jokes as we called them and hearing him laugh and his being there. He truly was an amazing uncle and amazing man who had such a huge impact on all our lives. He will forever and always be in our hearts.
Ariel says, my favorite memory with Uncle Bubba was during everyone's visit with Grandma in Arizona. That was when Jeremy was introduced to our family. Everyone at the same time. We sat around the table for hours listening to stories and jokes. Uncle Bubba and Aunt Paula made Jeremy feel so comfortable from all the jokes and laughing. After quite a while Uncle Bubba finally admitted he didn't have any more jokes!! How was that possible? Well, now there's a new crowd in heaven who get to be entertained from his humor. You are loved and missed by so many Uncle. Until we see each other again. Love you.
Tommy remembers watching movies with Dad and watching him cook in the kitchen.
Dan said my dad gave me my very first pocket knife, and taught me how to use it safely. It was a red Swiss Army knife with multiple blades and tools. He also taught me to slice and chop things for cooking, using his fancy Chef’s knife. I felt so proud the first time he let me use it. Many people remember my dad cooking, but I got to cook WITH him.
A celebration of DeWain’s life will be on Friday July 16, 2021 at 4:00 PM with Pastor Wayne Searls presiding in the Roger Thompson Chapel of CONRAD & THOMPSON FUNERAL HOME 511 Emmett Street, Kissimmee, Florida 34741 with a gathering one hour prior to the service.
The Milburn family is being cared for by: CONRAD & THOMPSON FUNERAL HOME AND CREMATION SERVICES, 511 Emmett Street, Kissimmee, Florida 34741; 407-847-3188.
Click here to view a webcast of the service on 7/16/2021 at 04:00 PM, Eastern Standard Time.
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