Chester William Milton was born on July 15, 1930 to Earl and Rowena Milton in Kittitas, Washington. He was the youngest of 7 Children. The family moved to Bremerton when he was 11 years old.
Chester met the love of his life when his father, known as “Grandpa Milton” to all the children, was the minister at the American Sunday School Association where Colleen and her sister Shirley attended. The Sunday School class would often go on outings after church on Sunday afternoons. This time, the class went to “Grandpa & Grandma” Milton’s house to play baseball. Having one person short of a team, Colleen (13), ran into the house to recruit Chet (14). She asked him to come play baseball but he said no! She begged him to please come out because the team was short and he said not unless she gave him a kiss! She hesitated for only a minute and then ran over and kissed him on the cheek and then turned around and ran out of the house! And the rest is history!
Chester and Colleen were married on September 22, 1949. As a wedding gift, someone gave them a trip to Vancouver Island for their honeymoon, but they decided to go preach on the street corners in Yakima instead. They made their home in Bremerton, Washington. After their first child was born, they moved to Fouts Springs, California, where they trained to become missionaries. They were there for about 9 months before moving back to the Bremerton area. Chet learned the carpentry trade from his father. He also learned the furnace and sheet metal trade from his brother, Ken.
In the mid 1950s, while they were in their twenties, Chet and Colleen lived in NE Tacoma on a 10-acre family-and-friend community called Alder Valley. There were 6 families who were all Christians, raising their kids together. All the families were related to at least one of the other families so the kids all grew up with many cousins, aunts, and uncles. Many adventures, trials, and blessings were had during that time. Chet, Colleen and the kids would remain close to these folks for the rest of their lives. One of the highlights of living in the Valley was the annual Round-up.
The Roundup was an old-fashioned family & friend reunion that included 1890s 1 costumes, food, skits, musical performances, poems, cake decorating contest, field games, pig calling contests, yodeling, and ended up with hymns, songs and stories around the bonfire at night. All the kids and adults alike had a role. Chet was known for his beloved rendition of “Little Red Wagon” which he would sing to Colleen and each of his children as they grew up. There was always a request for him to sing it at the Roundup.
But the road wasn’t always easy for this family and Chet struggled financially and spiritually. After leaving the Valley, the family would move often and eventually found their way to the little town of Milton, Washington. The most amazing thing happened there! Colleen had never given up on her God and she prayed for her husband constantly. She fasted for 11 days and prayed for him to turn back to God. On the 11th day, which was a Sunday, Chet said “That’s enough!” and told her to eat breakfast. She did eat, and he did go to the Milton Assembly of God Church with her and the kids that morning. At the altar-call that day, he went forward to pray and he gave his heart back to the Lord. He recently told his family that in the past, he had tried many times to quit smoking but had not been successful. But right then, as an act of surrender to God, he took out his pack of cigarettes and laid them on the altar and pushed them behind the flower vase. He left his cigarettes there and never smoked another one in his life. That night they went back to church and Chet was filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues. He also surrendered his gambling addiction to the Lord and with these acts of surrender, he gave his wife and children a completely different future. It was a true miracle and one that touched many people then and continues to give hope to many people now when he tells of that day. Through prayer and fasting, and through surrender and obedience, Chet’s entire life path was altered and he became the man he was always destined to be; a man of God that led his family, friends, and churches to the Lord both in the Pacific Northwest and in Mexico.
Soon after that, Chet and Colleen moved from the town of Milton back to the Valley where they and the other families gathered for home Bible studies. They also enjoyed playing guitars, playing the spoons, and singing 2 songs they had written. They shared their testimonies about how Jesus had changed their lives. On Saturday nights they preached the message of Christ’s love, forgiveness, and salvation on the street-corners of Pacific Avenue in downtown Tacoma. Around midnight, directly after their street meetings, they often piled into a van or car and drove to a river or lake to baptize those that had just accepted Christ as their Savior. Chet’s family and friends alike have fond memories of the life-changing experiences during this period in their lives.
By 1961, Chet had turned 31 years old and their family had grown to 5 children; David, Nadine, Corrine, Philip, and Daniel. The family moved to Cle Elum when Chet was 32 years old and he opened his own business, National Heating and Sheet Metal. He was known for his exceptional sheet metal and furnace installation skills. They attended the Cle Elum Assembly of God Church and made many lifetime friends. During those years, with Chet singing lead and Colleen singing alto, the family would often sing together at churches across the state of Washington. The family music group was called the MilTones and Colleen made each person a handmade blue vest with a sequin Cross sewn onto it. Chet was proud of his family and they sang in contests at the Paramount Theater in Portland, Oregon and the Moore Theater in Seattle, Washington. We think the judges forgot to wash their ears as they didn’t win, but it was a thrill to be able to sing together as a family anyway!
Chester attended the NW Bible College and joined the Pentecostal Church of God where he was ordained as a minister. After moving from Cle Elum in 1971, Chet and Colleen pastored their first church in Camas, Washington. Chet was 40 years old. It was a small, empty, Pentecostal Church of God which they built up by going door to door and inviting people to come to church. Chester preached and Colleen taught Sunday School to the young children. One of their church members introduced them to a ministry that served churches in Mexico and they were able to make a couple trips to help out. Also while living in Camas, his 4 oldest children got married and had children. Chet and Colleen were grandparents! 3
In 1977, when Chet was 47 years old, they moved to Kooskia, Idaho where they pastored their second church. During this time, he learned to weld and created the handmade MiltBilt stove. He fabricated many stoves which he sold to help support his wife and youngest son who was still a teenager and living at home. His son married one of the church girls and they gave Chet and Colleen more grandchildren. While pastoring in Kooskia, they began making many trips to Mexico and smuggled-in plywood in a hidden compartment under the floor of their International bus which they named “John 3:16”. They used this plywood to build their first house for a widow lady who was living in an abandoned car under a tree with her handicapped daughter. It was an experience that changed their life and when Chet was 55 years old, they resigned from the Kooskia church so that he and Colleen could work full time in Mexico and where he was privileged to serve for the rest of his life. Their outreach was called Mexico Ministries and together with the financial support, prayers, and labor from many people and churches, they built 12 churches from the ground up. They also remodeled, installed utilities, or added onto numerous churches and parsonages. Chester learned the Spanish language and preached whenever possible. Chester’s heart was with their dear Mexican family. He made his last trip to Mexico in the autumn of 2019 but faithfully sent money to help the local pastors and Christian workers until his death. The Mexican family mourns the passing of their dear Brother Milton. They will see him in heaven, as we all will, when the roll is called up yonder. Will you be there too? It is Chester’s greatest desire to see all of his family and friends in heaven. The Bible says if you believe in Jesus Christ you will be saved and will spend eternity with Him. Jesus will never stop calling his Children to Him. There is NOTHING you can do to separate yourself from the love of Christ. That was Chester’s last message to his wife, children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren in his last sermon at his family’s campout on Sunday, September 5, 2021.
Chet and Colleen Milton moved to Clarkston, Washington in 1998. Over the next 23 years, as they always have throughout their life, they made many lifetime friends including their church family at the Blessed Hope Assembly 4 of God church in Lewiston, Idaho. Chet could be found playing his guitar and singing along with Colleen at the church on any given Sunday.
Chester contracted Covid-19 and passed away in the hospital with Colleen by his side holding his hand. He went home to live eternally with Jesus Christ on October 4, 2021; he was 91 years old. He will be waiting for the rest of his family to join him. He is survived by his adoring wife of 72 years, Colleen Hodges Milton age 90, daughter-in-law, Karen Milton; daughters Nadine (Loren) Hansen and Corrine (John) Hvass; sons Philip Milton and Daniel (Kathie) Milton; 14 grandchildren; 34 great-grandchildren; 11 great-great-grandchildren; numerous nieces, nephews, family friends, church family, Mexican loved ones and his best friend, Whitney The Dog. Many thanks to the faithful supporters of Mexico Ministries who helped make his life’s work possible.
Chester is preceded in death by his Number One Son, David Chester Milton; grandson, Aaron Keith Milton; great-great-granddaughter, Camilla; parents, Earl and Rowena Milton; brothers, Theodore, Roland, Kenneth, and Robert; sisters, Joyce and Dorothy.
Funeral arrangements are made by Merchant Funeral Home at 1000 7th St, Clarkston, Washington where a public viewing will take place on Friday evening from 5:00 p.m.--7:00 p.m.
The funeral service will be held at 12:00 noon on Saturday, October 23, 2021 at the Blessed Hope Assembly, 1033 Burrell Ave., Lewiston, Idaho. Brother John Vantrease, pastor and friend, will officiate.
If you are unable to attend the funeral, you may watch a livestream of the service. Search for Chester W. Milton Funeral Service on YouTube. It is hosted by Nickels Hawkeye.
