Mike Milligan's ever-present sense of humor and willingness to give back to his community are what made him unique.

The fact that he could laugh at almost any situation, and make jokes easily, is why he made so many friends over his nine-decade life, said his wife, Virginia.

"He had a wonderful sense of humor," she said.

"He was a fun dad and supported his children in all of their activities."

Mr. Milligan died peacefully at his nursing home in Denver on July 14. He was 92.

Born Carroll Stone Milligan on March 5, 1915, in Milan, Mo., to Erma and Charles Milligan, he was the second of three children.

The couple worked as farmers in Milan and raised their family there.

Before moving to Colorado in 1945, Mr. Milligan attended two colleges and earned three degrees.

He earned two bachelor's degrees at Kirksville State Teacher's College in Missouri in 1934, and later a master's degree from Iowa State University in 1942.

Shortly after moving to Denver, he and Virginia were married. He worked as a salesman at Inland Paper Box Co., which later became Packaging Corp. of America. He retired as the general manager at the company.

"He had a chance for a job in Colorado, so he took it and came here," said Virginia Milligan, a Denver native. She met her husband at the Oxford Hotel in Denver, where her father owned Oxford Drug Co.

Together the couple raised three sons in their Park Hill home.

For several years, Mr. Milligan was an active member of the Denver Rotary Club and the Denver Chamber of Commerce.

He and his wife attended dozens of fundraisers over the years to help raise money for places such as Porter Hospital and the University of Denver.

"He was very civic-minded," his wife said. "He had a lot of friends in these groups and always wanted to help out."

Mr. Milligan also enjoyed traveling, and he and Virginia often took trips to Europe or Hawaii to play golf.

After 61 years of marriage, the two were parted by death.

"It's great," Virginia Milligan said of being married for so long. "I couldn't get used to anybody else."

Services were held July 27, and burial took place afterward at Fairmount Cemetery.

In addition to his wife, Virginia, of Denver, Mr. Milligan is survived by three sons, Steven Milligan, of Colorado Springs, Terry Milligan, of Edgewater, and Charles, of Orrville, Ohio; three daughters-in- law and four grandsons.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Park Hill Methodist Church, 5209 Montview Blvd., Denver 80207.