Ethel Milam

With profound sadness, we announce the passing of Mrs. Ethel Milam, who departed this life on April 7, 2025. Ethel was born in 1924 to Will and Molly Woodard of Tuckerman, AR. She lived a life defined by resilience and dedication to her family. She was a loving wife to W.B. Milam and mother to her beloved son, Dennis Milam.

Ethel was known for her extraordinary talents behind a sewing machine and her ability to score a bargain wherever she went shopping. She loved playing solitaire and taught her grandchildren how to win at Liverpool rummy. She married W.B. Milam in 1946, and the two of them were fiercely loyal to their marriage and family. Ethel helped her husband grow the family business (Milam’s Grocery Store) in Little Rock, AR where they served the local community for decades. During their time together, they loved to fish and spend time at the lake with family. Ethel was a long-standing member of Sixth and Izard Church of Christ in Little Rock, AR and leaves behind a legacy of faith in Jesus Christ. Her family rejoices in the assurance that she is now in the presence of her Lord and those who have preceded her, and where there is everlasting peace and joy.

Ethel is preceded in death by her parents (Will and Molly Woodard), her husband (W.B. Milam) and son (Dennis Milam), and her siblings Opal Bailey, Oscar Woodard, and Clara Mae Bowen.

She is survived by her sister, Johnnie Jean Harkrider of Searcy, grandchildren Cristi Bishop (Bryan) and Scott Milam, three great-grandchildren, Seth Milam, Taylor Bishop, and Kendall Bishop, two special nephews Karyl Bailey (Marcella) and Paul Whitlock, a special great-niece Lori Vesperman (Charles), and many other great nieces, nephews, and cousins who will carry her memory forward.

A graveside service to honor Ethel’s life will be held on Friday, April 11, 2025 at 11:00 AM at the Pinecrest Cemetery in Alexander where family and friends are invited to share stories and remembrance. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly asks that donations be made to Southern Christian Children’s Home (Morrilton, AR), an organization close to Ethel’s heart.

Arrangements entrusted to Smith Little Rock Funeral Home.