Vernon "Donny" Milen, 59, of Cleveland, departed this life on November 19, 2025, at his residence.

He was born on August 2, 1966, in Cleveland, TN., to Georgia Frances Tatum Milen and the late William Vernon Milen.

He grew up in Polk County, Tennessee, and graduated from Polk County High School (Class of 1984).  He went on to earn a bachelor's in criminal justice at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, playing football while there (Class of 1990).  Seven years later, in 1997, Don married Kristen Marie Liljegren.  He earned his Master of Teaching at Lee University in the spring of 2000.  Donny went on to teach most of his career in Murray County Schools, in Chatsworth, Georgia.  Between 2001 and 2005, Donny and Kristen had three children, Jake, Sophia, and Nick.  They lived together in Cleveland, Tennessee, where he loved spending precious time with his family.

In addition to his father, William V. Milen, he was preceded in death by his grandparents, Beatrice Jordan and Bruce Edwin Tatum, and Anna Mae Sampson and Carl Milen.

Left to cherish the many memories include his beloved wife, Kristen Marie Liljergren Milen; children, Jake Carl Milen, Sophia Marielle Milen, and Nicholas Magnus Milen; mother, Georgia Frances Tatum Milen; sisters and brother-in-law, Annita Jo Milen and Jed Marvin Arthur; nephew, nephew and his wife Jared Milen and Katie Arthur; great-nephew, King Benjamin Arthur.

Funeral services will be conducted at 1:00 p.m. on Monday, November 24, 2025, in the chapel of Higgins Funeral Home of Benton, with Pastor Robert Seaton officiating.  Interment will follow at Mountain Springs Baptist Church Cemetery, with his family and friends serving as pallbearers.

His family will receive friends from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Monday, prior to the service at Higgins.

Expressions of sympathy may be shared with the family at www.HigginsFunerals.com.

Arrangements are entrusted to Higgins Funeral Home of Benton.