Millicent Traiman (at right) with Angela Bell at Thanksgiving celebration at Prana in November 2012

Millicent Traiman, beloved long-time MSIA minister, passed into Spirit on August 12, 2020.  Friend and fellow minister, Cate Kirby, writes this tribute to share her appreciation of Millicent.

Millicent and I had a running joke regarding her name: I’d call out to her, “Milliiiiiieeeee!” or she’d call it out to me, “It’s Milliiiiiiieeee…!”  It was the easiest, funniest, just the most loving friendship that began in our two-year Masters of Practical Spirituality (now called the Masters of Spiritual Science) classes at 2101 Wilshire Blvd in Santa Monica.

In the time period from September 1994 to June 1996, I attended the once-a-month weekend classes, having moved from Buenos Aires, Argentina to Santa Monica, California (I was working as a nanny for Susan S, taking care of her son).  Such a radical change of place, people, customs for me to take in…  My connection to all was, of course, our Travelers J-R and John Morton, who had visited Buenos Aires in 1992.

Millie was one of the participants in the Masters class, and I’m presuming — these several decades later — we must have bonded in one of the partner exercises.  A connection which was never broken, despite several years difference in age, physical distance (when I returned to Buenos Aires) and the passage of years.

She was, to me, the most generous lady; she took me into her home when I didn’t have one, fed me chicken soup as the best cure for a bad cold, regaled me with stories about New York and her travels before she moved to L.A.  I learned about devotion to J-R from Millie – what a wayshower she was to this neophyte MSIA student and infant minister – she saw no point in life unless she was busy working with our many MSIA tools, taking as many classes as possible, going on PAT trips, taking the Doctorate (DSS).  She had left New York because in California she could be nearer to J-R.

Personality-wise she was sharp as well as funny, and maybe her quick, no-nonsense attitude did not always earn her the warmest responses.  But, way beyond the quirks of a personality, I’m a witness to the twinkle in her eyes, her special laugh, her sensitivity, her warm, loving heart.  Through her I learned what is meant in novels by “a perfect Jewish princess,” even though I had never met one before! And oh, what a delight to experience this as a gift. I believe she always understood that beyond our very different circumstances of birth and roots, these differences were never an obstacle because we both shared and resided in our Traveler’s love.

Although the last time I saw her physically was seven years ago, and I grieve her passing, there is no-one who must be happier than dear Millicent to have been caught by our Traveler J-R as she wended her way into God’s heart.