Milford Awe

Milford Allen "Al" Awe, USN MCMM (E-9), Retired

Sunrise: March 12, 1942- Sunset: April 5, 2025

It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of Al Awe, who left us on April 5, 2025, at the age of 83. Al had been a patient at Ladera Nursing with Hospice care by Lily Care in Albuquerque, NM. He was the son of Lester and Genevie Awe of Manitowoc, WI. He and his younger sister Susan were both born in Manitowoc.

After graduating in 1960 from Lincoln High School in Manitowoc, WI, Al worked at Eastman Manufacturing in Manitowoc before attending UW-Stout in Menomonie, WI. He married Holly Scheer and they welcomed their daughter, Peggy Caryn. He and Holly later divorced. In 1964 he joined the US Navy and underwent "boot camp" at Great Lakes Naval Training Command, IL, then he was assigned to Service School Command, Great Lakes, where he became a Machinist-Mate, specializing in air conditioning and refrigeration and ship's engine maintenance. His assignments to ships included the USS Hector (off South Viet Nam), USS Cimarron, USS Enterprise, USS Ogden, and the USS Dixie. After the Cimarron he was assigned to Naval Language School in Idaho Falls, ID and there he learned basic Viet Nam language. Then he was assigned to the Naval Advisory Group-Viet Nam (Black Berets) working with South Vietnamese military personnel on river boats that patrolled rivers during the ongoing war there. He also had other assignments in Viet Nam. After Viet Nam he rotated back to Great Lakes Naval Base Service School Command in North Chicago, IL where he taught water chemistry at Machinist Mate "A" school. It was there that he met and married Kathy McRoberts in 1974 who worked on the base at COMNINE. In 1976 Al was assigned to the USS Ogden home-ported in San Diego, CA. He was at sea for approximately nine months. Their daughter, Jill Renee, was born in 1976 at Great Lakes Naval Hospital while he was at sea on the Ogden. Jill was five months old when Al met Jill for the first time. Then Kathy and Jill moved to San Diego with Al when he rejoined the Ogden in San Diego. In 1979, Al then was assigned to the USS Dixie which was also home ported out of San Diego. The Dixie was at sea for almost a year. In 1980 he was rotated back to shore duty at Service School Command, Great Lakes where he became the Course Officer at Machinist Mate "A" school. Al, Kathy and Jill lived off-base in Waukegan, IL during that time. In 1985 Al retired from the Navy as an E-9 Master Chief Machinist Mate and the family moved to Wisconsin to be near their families. Al's military accomplishments/awards/medals are many:

Navy Achievement Medal with Combat V and Gold Star (18 June 1973 and 10 December 1980)

Combat Action Ribbon (2 December 1971 to 18 December 1982)

Navy Unit Commendation Ribbon (1 June 1980)

Good Conduct: (Five): (27 August 1964 to 27 August 1984)

National Defense (28 August1964)

Navy Expeditionary Ribbon (25 May 1979)

Armed Forces Expeditionary Ribbon (21 November 1967)

Sea Service Ribbon (Oct 1979)

Republic of Viet Nam Campaign (September 1967)

Republic of Viet Nam Gallantry Cross with Palm (Unit Citation)

Republic of Viet Nam Civil Action Unit Citation (18 December 1972)

Viet Nam Service Medal (September 1967)

After retiring from the US Navy and moving to Durand, WI and later Pepin, WI, Al worked as the Pepin County Resource Coordinator for the Private Industry Council in Durand, WI. In 2001 Al and Kathy decided to retire and move to Albuquerque, New Mexico, where they enjoyed wonderful new friends, and the warm sunny weather and golfing of New Mexico. He was a proud member of the VFW Post 5890 in Rio Rancho, NM. Throughout his life Al was especially fond of fishing, trapshooting, golfing, reading, turkey hunting, woodworking, his wonderful friends and family, and his many beloved cats and dogs!

Al is survived by his wife Kathy, daughters Peggy Mushel (Tom), and Jill Stanislawski (Adrian, deceased), granddaughter Samantha Johnson, sisters-in-law Betty McRoberts, and Marie Bauer (Dennis), nephew/Godson Brian Bauer; brother-in-law Robert McRoberts (Sherri) and nephews Justin and Benji McRoberts; and brother-in-law Steve Maddock (Susan-deceased). Al was predeceased by his parents, Lester and Genevie, his father-in-law and mother-in-law James Sr. and Ernestine McRoberts, his sister, Susan Awe, brother-in-law James McRoberts, Jr., and beloved son-in-law Adrian Stanislawski. Our wonderful neighbors/friends in the Albuquerque area have been so helpful and supportive and we will always be grateful to you. We must also give a shout out to the members of VFW Post #05890. Al so enjoyed the camaraderie of everyone there and the great monthly breakfasts he so loved! The family wishes to thank John Bubbico, Funeral Director, of French Funerals Westside, Albuquerque, NM, The Ladera Center Nursing Home, Lily Care Hospice, and ALL the staff who provided excellent care, support and kindness, and the residents and patients who were so wonderful to Al, Kathy and Jill.

In lieu of flowers, please feel free to donate to New Mexico Wounded Warriors, Animal Humane New Mexico (Albuquerque), or any charity you desire. Please sing our online guest book for Al. 

REST IN PEACE, AND SMOOTH SAILING, AL

Al was cremated and will be interred in the Santa Fe National Cemetery. French Funerals Westside in Albuquerque assisted the family. There will be a casual memorial get-together at French Funeral Westside Chapel, 9300 Golf Course Rd, NW, Albuquerque, with family and friends 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. on June 13th, after which the family will go to the National Cemetery for Al's interment.