Dana Lynn Gratzer Millhouse

Dana Lynn Gratzer Millhouse, 59, passed away in the comfort of her own home on Sunday, Mar. 24, 2024.

Dana was born in Nuremberg, Bavaria, Germany to George M. “Sonny” Gratzer and Janet Norman Lee.  She had one older brother, Steven Kurt Gratzer, and two younger siblings, Michael Bowman Gratzer and Rachel Lee Gratzer.  She was born with impairments to her hearing and vision, which worsened over the length of her life.

When she was a young teenager, she was introduced to the Millhouses and they became her second family.  By age nineteen, she married Donald “Glenn” Millhouse, Jr. on Oct. 6, 1984 and proceeded to have six children over a span of seventeen years.  Sean Courtney (1985), Kyle Jordan (1986), Rachel Lynn (1988), Katherine Cera “K.C.” (1991), Mariah Nicole (1998), and Ryan Nicholas (2002).  She loved all of her children fiercely and always fought for their welfare, even through estrangements.  Glenn and Dana were married for a little over eighteen years, and they ultimately decided to divorce on Nov. 26, 2002.  They remained best friends and celebrated an “anti-versary” every year.  Both the family she grew up with, and the family she started, had many military members, and she was an avid supporter of the U.S. Armed Forces.

She grew up going to school in Missoula.  During her high school years, she was a Spartan at Sentinel High School, where, despite her inability to hear, she focused her energy into athletics.  She participated in multiple sports, primarily basketball.  While married and raising her children, she graduated from Carroll College, in Helena, with a double major in English Writing and Public Communications.  Her expertise put her children at an advantage throughout their life.  Following her school years, there are many people that she never forgot, whom she periodically kept in touch with, or reconnected with.  Recently, she had been excited to go and celebrate her 40th High School Reunion.

In the later years of her life, she enjoyed traveling, especially on cruises.  She made great friends along the way.  Her favorite destinations included Greece; the Rhine River cruise, where she visited Germany, which is one of the many places that she always wanted to go; and her Alaskan cruise with her daughter, K.C.  She also enjoyed hosting get-togethers with her closest family members, celebrating their milestones and accomplishments, as well as their birthdays and holidays.  What she loved most was having family over for dinner, games, and laughs.  Laughs were especially important as she herself had a great sense of humor.

Dana was preceded in death by her daughter, Rachel Lynn Millhouse; father, Sonny Gratzer; mother, Janet Lee; brother, Kurt Gratzer; mother-in-law, Katherine Hayes Millhouse; and father-in-law, Donald Glenn Millhouse, Sr.  Her beautiful Papillon, Tehya, also preceded her in death.

She is survived by her best friend, and former husband, Glenn Millhouse; oldest sons, Sean of Missoula, and Kyle of Butte; daughters, K.C. and Mariah (Dominic) of Missoula; youngest son, Ryan (Ailene) of North Carolina; and granddaughter, Scarlett.  Also surviving are her sister, Rachel Gratzer of Georgia; brother, Michael Gratzer of Florida, and her beloved one-year-old Exotic Yorkshire Terrier, Mika.

There will be a small, casual memorial on May 11, 8:00-10:00 am.  Please email Glenn at donaldlolo1@aol.com for location and address information.