Clara Louise Milko

Clara Louise Milko, a woman of remarkable strength, intellect, and grace, passed away on May 27, 2026, at the age of 94. Born on August 23, 1931, Clara carved out a life entirely on her own terms. Born in an era when women were rarely encouraged to pursue complete autonomy, Clara lived independently, traveled widely, and built a successful lifelong career, primarily in healthcare, notably as part of the first Nurse Practitioners in the U.S. She was a trailblazer among her peers, proving that a life filled with purpose, travel, and deep relationships is a life fully realized. She possessed a vibrant spirit, a sharp intellect, and through causes she found near and dear to her heart, a passion for helping those less fortunate than herself.

Born to Martin Stanley Milko and Martha Dabroski Milko, as the eldest of their three children, Clara was pre-deceased by Frank Martin Milko (Patricia) and Patricia Milko DeVine (William). She was raised in Iselin, NJ.

Clara leaves behind family members, including nephew Thomas Milko (Laura), niece Pamela Milko, and niece Donna Milko Kulas (Thomas), nephew Mark DeVine (Lisa), niece Becky DeVine Merritt (Mark), all of her great nieces and nephews, as well as cousins and friends. All will miss her honesty, laughter, and invaluable insight.

A celebration of Clara’s long and beautiful life will take place on Friday, June 19th @ 11:00 AM at Springmoor Life Care Retirement Community, 1500 Sawmill Road, Raleigh, NC. Live streaming will be available at www.evt.live/clara-l-milko-service beginnng at 10:45 AM. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Transitions LifeCare (hospice care provider), 250 Hospice Circle, Raleigh, NC 27607 or online at www.transitionslifecare.org/donate and/or From Your Neighbor (medical equipment provider), 5201 Indigo Moon Way, Raleigh, NC 27613 or online at www.fromyourneighbor.org/donate.