John Edward Milich

John Edward (Edmiston) Milich, 79, of Ithaca, NY, departed his physical form in the early hours of December 11, 2023. His last weeks were spent at Ithaca Hospicare where he received the best of loving care.

John was born in Philadelphia on May 10, 1944 to Neola Pearl (Edmiston) Milich and John Joseph Milich. Soon after, he was joined by siblings Tommy, Eadie, and Kathy.  After graduating high school in 1962, he enlisted in the Navy where a love of world travel took root in his soul.

After that, the road became his canvas for his many artful journeys.  He hitchhiked coast to coast and north to south in the US and all over Europe and the Middle East.  He made friends of every nationality and was known to trade stories and locally sourced spice for a place to sleep and a hot meal.  He was a Pilgrim and an Ambassador, all the while collecting fertile seeds for the stories he would tell and the adventures he would write about. He explored the universe and its many mysteries as a world class astrologer and perfected the art of healing with herbs in his basement laboratory.  John’s virtual hard drive of a memory flawlessly stored dates, times, places, and names which helped his journalistic endeavors absolutely shine.  His was an exemplary life, lived in such a way as to ignite fires in people’s souls and inspire us all to live life to the absolute fullest.  His body has moved on, but his spirit still flies high amongst us.

John is survived by hundreds of friends around the world; a son, John Jr., from his first marriage to Helen; and a stepson, Heath, from his second marriage to Iris.  He also leaves behind his sister, Eadie; and grandsons, Jovial and Samuel.

John has also earned a degree as a master composter—the art of reducing all organic matter to “Black Gold” soil.  As such, he will be laid to rest at Greensprings Natural Cemetery Preserve where ultimately he will grow the flowers that feed the bees and so on and on and on…

John will be buried according to Muslim tradition, with a brief prayer service at Al-Huda Islamic Center, 10 Cayuga Vista Drive, Lansing, NY at 9:30 a.m. on December 12, 2023, followed by burial at 10:45 a.m. at Greensprings Natural Cemetery Preserve, 293 Irish Hill Road, Newfield, NY.  For those who wish to attend a non-religious ceremony and sharing of memories in remembrance of John, there will be a gathering at Greensprings Natural Cemetery Preserve at 2:00 p.m. on December 12, 2023, followed by a reception that will be announced.