Freeport mourns Deb Milligan, longtime News-Herald correspondent

Deb Milligan, who had been writing for the Harrison News-Herald since April 2017, passed away on Nov. 24. 

For nearly a decade, she brought news from Freeport to residents of Harrison County in the Talk of the Town section.

From birthday and anniversary wishes to important announcements for Freeport Village Council, Milligan kept up to date on all the happenings of the area and reported them to the News-Herald’s readers.

Born to Heywood and Ann Bear, Milligan grew up with seven brothers and sisters, whom she said were “all good to her.” She loved growing up in the county and carried many fond memories of life with family and friends.

She often explained her dedication to the paper. “The question I’ve been asked so many times through the years: Why do I spend so much time every day writing for the News-Herald? A very easy answer: To keep Freeport and the area on the map.”

She said people regularly called her with information and story ideas, and she assembled them for the newspaper. Freeport, a small village with a population of just over 300 as of the 2023 census, was especially important to her.

Milligan graduated from Lakeland High School in 1972, the same year she was crowned the Fireman’s Fair Queen for selling the most tickets — an annual award still given today. She spent much of her time at the festival, working in the food stand and feeding residents and travelers.

She married her husband, Jeff Milligan, in 1973, and the couple had a daughter and a son. She also had two granddaughters. Jeff died in 2021 at age 68. He worked as a firefighter for nearly 50 years and spent several years after high school at the Freeport Press. He died just a couple of years before what would have been the couple’s 50th wedding anniversary, a date they shared with Milligan’s parents.

Milligan was a member of the Church of the Rock in Freeport and volunteered for many organizations. She loved her work for the newspaper, enjoyed staying connected to village happenings, valued her ties to those around her and took her role seriously.