Obituary

Memorial services for Russell Ward Millar, a 40-year Costa Mesa

resident and 33-year Orange Coast College professor, will be held at 2

p.m. Saturday. Dr. Millar died April 1, after a lengthy struggle with

Parkinson’s disease. He was 75.

Born Aug. 16, 1926, Dr. Millar grew up in Berkeley. He served in the

Merchant Marines in World War II before moving into the Army.

He later earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from UC

Berkeley and a master’s degree at George Washington University. While in

Washington, D.C., he taught political science classes at the Pentagon.

Later, Dr. Millar earned his doctorate at Kings College, University of

London.

In 1951, Dr. Millar married Loel Marston, to whom he remained married

for 17 years.

Between 1962 and 1995, Dr. Millar taught political science and

international relations at Orange Coast College. During that time, he

traveled often, at one point trekking more than 10,000 miles from London

to Delhi, India, and back.

Dr. Millar also became involved in local politics and, beginning in

1983, served a decade as the president of the Concerned Citizens of Costa

Mesa. The group sued the Orange County Fair board and the Nederlander

Organization over noise complaints stemming from the former Pacific

Amphitheatre.

Dr. Millar is survived by wife of 31 years Karen Melgaard Millar; sons

Andrew Ward Millar, Bradbury Stewart Millar and Duncan Lowell Millar; and

daughter Sarah Millar Babovic.