Milford Mork Jr.

Milford Mork Jr. died peacefully from complications of dementia, on Monday, August 7, 2023, surrounded by his wife and children. He will be remembered as a loving husband and father, who worked long and hard to provide for his family. 

He will also be remembered as a life-long truck driver who hauled goods coast to coast with an 18-wheel semi-truck. He would say: “If you’ve bought it, drank it, eaten it, needed it, or wanted it . . . I’ve hauled it.” In his 64 years of trucking, he logged nearly five million accident-free miles in all 48 contiguous states. Milford’s healthy brain was the original GPS navigation system, able to recite an entire cross county route by memory – towns, highways, exit numbers, road detours, landmarks, and of course, the best truck stops. Milford was a “trucker’s trucker,” a friend to many and respected by all.   

Milford was born on May 18, 1942 in Rochester, Minn. He was confirmed at St. John’s Lutheran Church of Kasson, Minn. He started trucking fulltime at the age of 14. Yes, fourteen. Milford worked nonstop through the 1960s, and in the 1970s he asked questions. Are truckers being treated fairly? Could we make positive changes in the industry? His work ethic blended with realities of raising a family caused him to get involved in politics, advocating for the rights of independent truckers. He was a critical force in forming the Minnesota Trucking Association. Plus he served in leadership positions state and nationwide, resulting in legislative policy change to increase the value of truckers and their families. 

Milford is survived by his beloved wife and business partner of 62 years, Diane Mork (also a semi-truck driver), to whom he delivered a dozen red roses on each wedding anniversary. He is also survived by children Terri Mork Speirs (Robert), Thomas (Gretchen) Mork, Milford Mork III (known as Trey), and Russell Mork; grandchildren Amanda, Aidan, Priscilla, Danielle, Brandee, Ashley, Paige, Aaron, Mackenzie, and Mallory; great grandchildren Kylee, Averie, Hunter, Bailey, Avery, and Owen; siblings Dixie, Barton (Laurie), Dale (Janice), Renee (Duane), Tony (Nancy), and Darrell (Janet); and many nieces, nephews, cousins and extended family. He is preceded in death by his parents, Hazel and Milford Sr., brother Tim, brother-in-law Kit, niece Melissa, and great grandson Charlie. 

Milford’s family and friends are invited to a celebration of life on Tuesday, August 15, 2023, at the United Methodist Church of Dexter, Minnesota. The schedule follows:

10 - 11 a.m. - Family Visitation at the church

11 a.m. - Memorial Service

11:30 a.m. (or so) - Truck Parade* from the church to the Dexter Cemetery (staging at church parking lot)

Noon (or so) - Burial at the Dexter Cemetery

11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. (or so) - Classic “Trucker breakfast” for family and friends at the church

*Truck Parade: The family is inviting all truckers with semis to bring their truck and participate in the truck parade for the last mile of Milford’s 5,000,000 mile career. Please join the truck parade from the church to the cemetery, and then join the family for a meal following the burial. Truck staging will be at the church parking lot. 

The family would like to thank the staff of Cedars Senior Living Community in Austin, Minn., for the kindness and care extended to Milford throughout the duration of his illness. Gifts in memory of Milford may be given to the United Methodist Church of Dexter or the Austin Humane Society.

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