2.12.3.2.2. Rachel Mildred Lange (1927-2009)

Rachel Mildred Jennings, who went by Millie because she hated the name Rachel, was born on 27 December 1927 to Gustav and Wilhelmina (Schalin) Lange. She grew up on the farm on which she was born, the sixth of nine children.

Millie attended Gwynn Park High School and played on the basketball team. She was very athletic and competed in many sports throughout her life, including bowling and golf. After graduating from high school, she moved to Washington, DC, to work for the federal government and the American Forestry Association, now known as American Forests.

She bowled in a mixed league and met Marvin Edward Jennings, Sr., who thought Millie would be a good match for his oldest son Marvin. Marvin, Jr., attended the bowling match and met Millie. They began dating and were married on 5 April 1952 in Arlington County, Virginia.

Rachel Mildred "Millie" Lange as a young woman; personal collection

Their first daughter was born in 1954. Sometime in the mid- to late-1950s, Marvin was stationed to Okinawa, Japan, and then in Taipei, Taiwan. Their youngest daughter was born in 1957 in Taipei.

When the family returned to the United States, they bought a new home in Vienna, Virginia, where their girls grew up. In the mid-1960s, Marvin was stationed to Iran and they lived in the capital city of Tehran.

In the early 1970s, Marvin was stationed to Bonn, Germany, then the capital of the western portion of the divided country. International telephones calls had to be scheduled at the local post office so most of our communication with them was by newly invented cassette tape recordings! When they moved to Germany, their oldest daughter attended high school and was a boarding student in Frankfurt.

After they returned to the United States, Millie worked as a secretary for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). When Marvin retired from what is now known as the Woodburn Center for Community Health, Marvin and Millie moved to Aurora, North Carolina, where Marvin worked as the town manager. Their brother and sister would stay with them while they built their house on Dawnson's Creek. Later, Millie and Mavin built a house next door, also on the creek. They lived there for several years. They enjoyed many rounds of golf and traveling with Marvin's brother and Millie's sister, who had married each other.

Millie had a massive cerebral hemorrhage in 2001 and required constant care until the day she died. Marvin lovingly provided that care. They moved to Virginia to be closer to their younger daughter and her husband.

Millie died on 16 October 2009. Her funeral was held at the Jamieson Memorial United Methodist Church on 20 October. The next day there was a graveside service at National Memorial Park in Falls Church, Virginia.

_______________
'Rachel Mildred "Millie" Lange as a young woman, personal collection
1930 US Federal Census, Census Place: Brandywine, Prince George's, Maryland; Roll: 877; Page: 2A; Enumeration District: 24; Image: 1048.0
1940 US Federal Census, Census Place: Prince George's, Maryland; Roll: T627_1557; Page: 17A; Enumeration District: 17-36
US, Find a Grave Index, 1607-2012, Find A Grave Memorial No. 43699225
US, Obituary Collection, Washington Post, Publication Date: 19-10-2009; Publication Place: Washington, DC, USA
US, Obituary Daily Times Index, 1995-Current, 2009 Jennings, Millie
US, Public Records Index, 1950-1993, Volume I, 1996 Arapahoe, North Carolina (Jennings, Mildred L.)
US, Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014, Issue State: District of Columbia; Issue Date: 1952
US, Virginia Death Records, 1912-2014, 2009 Jennings, Mildred L.
US, Virginia Marriage Records, 1936-2014, Copy 6398, Clerk's No. 438
US, Virginia Marriage Records, 1936-2014, Copy 15537, Clerk's No. 438