Constance "Connie" L. Milton

Constance Louise “Connie” Milton, PhD, RN, FAAN, passed away on February 16, 2026, in Woodland Hills, California. She was born on May 21, 1958, in Kankakee, Illinois, and grew up on a farm in nearby Manteno, where her love of learning and compassion for others first took root. Connie earned her PhD in Nursing from Loyola University of Chicago and devoted her life to advancing the profession she loved. Over the course of a distinguished academic career, she taught at Olivet Nazarene University and Kaplan University, served as the founding dean of the School of Nursing at California Baptist University, and concluded her career as Professor Emeritus at Azusa Pacific University. A respected scholar in the field of nursing ethics, she also served as co-editor of a professional nursing journal, shaping conversations that guided practitioners across the country. Connie was married for 47 years to her beloved husband, John Milton, who survives her. She is also survived by her children, Steven Milton of La Jolla, California, and Christina Bristow of Covina, California; her brother, Ron Bever of Manteno, Illinois; son-in-law Andrew and grandson Raymond Bristow of Covina, California; and many colleagues, students, and friends whose lives were touched by her wisdom and kindness. She was preceded in death by her parents, Raymond and Florence Bever of Manteno, Illinois. A woman of deep faith, Connie attended Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, where she found fellowship and spiritual strength. She loved to travel—taking 35 cruises over the years—and found great joy in attending concerts and watching her daughter perform with the Los Angeles Master Chorale. Connie will be remembered for her intellect, her gentle leadership, her unwavering integrity, and her devotion to her family and to the calling of nursing. Her legacy lives on in the countless students she mentored, the colleagues she inspired, and the loved ones who will forever cherish her memory. Visitation will be held Friday, March 6, 2026 at Brown Jensen Funeral Home in Manteno, Illinois, from 11a.m. until the funeral service at 1 p.m. with Pastor Lana Robyne officiating. Interment will immediately follow at Deselm Cemetery. Memorials may be made to the wishes of the family.