Milo Falor: ‘He was a wild one, but make no mistake – his heart was massive’

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Milo C. Falor
10/11/1981 – 01/08/2023

Milo Christopher Falor passed away suddenly and unexpectedly, on January 8th, 2023 at the remarkably young age of 41 at St. Joseph Hospital in Eureka, CA. He had been receiving treatment for an entirely unforeseen bowel perforation when a blood clot inadvertently made its way from his leg to his lung, which was the ultimate cause of his passing. As he transitioned from this world, his wife and eldest daughter were by his side; while witnessing a tragedy as painful as his passing was, they both are eternally thankful to know they were with him during his final moments.

Milo was born on October 11, 1981 at 5pm. He was born at Mad River hospital in Arcata, CA to Patricia Villalobos and Ward “Mike” Falor. At only 5lbs, he was an adorable pocket-sized bundle of joy. Seeing his broad 6ft stature later in life, you’d never have known how tiny he was unless you’d seen him as an infant. 8 years later, Mike and Pat completed their family with the birth of Nicholas. Milo loved his younger brother immensely; when Nick was an infant, Milo would tenderly touch him, telling everyone how beautiful his baby was. Growing up, the two brothers had their share of tumultuous times, but their sibling rivalry paled in comparison to the bond they had. Even in their adult lives, Milo had a fierce love for his brother.

Milo attended Blue Lake Elementary school, followed by Arcata High School, where he graduated in 2000. During his teenage years, Milo did his best to make sure his parent’s hair went gray. He had at least 3 trucks throughout his High School career, all of which were no match to his shenanigans. Milo doing donuts on the Arcata High School lawn during his senior year, as well as many bonfire nights where some of his most reckless stunts occurred will likely live on in the memory of his peers. He was a wild one, but make no mistake – his heart was massive, and those close to him each had their very own space in it.

After high school, Milo graduated from the College of the Redwoods automotive technician program obtaining his ASE certification, as well as a certification in Welding, and his CDL. During his journey as a mechanic, and various jobs within the automotive repair world, Milo found his undeniable fascination, and true talent, was in the Heavy Diesel Equipment realm. He worked for Green Diamond Resource Company for many years until finding his “home” at Recology in Eureka, CA. Milo took pride in his work throughout the entirety of his career, but nothing could compare to the reverence he had for his Recology family.

Milo’s love for salvaging old relics came naturally; he was only a day old when he attended his first yard sale. Milo could always be found tinkering with antiques (although not all were of any monetary value, to him, they were treasures), or dragging old relics home. This eventually led him to his passion for classic cars. He drug his family to any swap meets, car shows, and cruises he could find, even if he wasn’t entering a car of his own.

Milo met Carrie Foust in 2008, after being introduced by Milo’s close friend, who happened to be Carrie’s cousin, Justin Henderson. Milo and Carrie’s connection was immediate – they went on one date and were inseparable from then on. In 2013, they were married in Reno, NV, in a private, intimate setting. When Milo spoke of Carrie, he referred to her as his beautiful, wonderful wife, and in turn, she called him her penguin; most penguins mate for life. At times, the two of them could not be more opposite; Carrie would try to bicker with Milo, and he was always so quick to brush it off and change the subject. From the first day to the last, their love burned brighter than the sun. It’s a love that still lives on, just as strong, in the heart of the widow he leaves behind.

Milo and Carrie’s love for each resulted in an exceptionally large family. They have 7 children, and 3 grandchildren, all of whom carry a piece of Milo with them. When Milo became a Dad, and later a Poppa, the position quickly became his favorite, second only to being a husband. His babies were his world; he was a Poppa bear, and would take on the world head-on for any of them.

Milo would move mountains for his family; figuratively and literally! They spent their summers at their lakeside property in Trinity County, where Milo could be found floating in the pool, ice cold beverage always in hand. If Milo had a day off work, it wasn’t ever a question of if he would be at the lake, rather, how fast they could get there.

To know Milo was to love him. There isn’t a person who knew him that would have a bad thing to say of him. Milo was the kind of guy who would gladly hand you the shirt off his back in a sub-zero blizzard. Even during his final days, in discomfort and nervousness, his concern was on how his family was doing, not on his own well-being. He was so selfless, that it should come as no surprise to know that prior to being a father, he was a volunteer firefighter. When it was time to lay down his fire helmet, he decided to put on the Foster Dad hat; Carrie and Milo fostered many children in the community, with the ultimate goal being all the children coming into their home getting a chance to feel what love is.

Milo’s love and humor lies in all the lives he touched. After losing someone as phenomenal as Milo, your heart is never the same, it’s shattered beyond repair. Milo leaves behind his wife, confidant, and best friend, Carrie, as well as their children: Britney (Lance) Lair, Ryan (Samantha) Morais, Serafina Terrado, Donna Anderson, Murphy Falor, Lucas Falor, Mila Falor; grandchildren Gerald Harmon, Easton and Emerson Lair; parents Ward “Mike” Falor, Patricia (Rik) Villalobos; brother Nicholas; his beloved Aunt, Tamara Falor, whom he idolized and admired beyond belief; as well as many family members and friends.

A celebration of life will be held on June 10th, 2023 at 2:30pm, at the Blue Lake Fire Hall for close friends and family. We ask that you not bring flowers or sympathy cards; instead, bring your favorite memories, and pictures if you have any. Let’s all share a few laughs and let the love he had for all of us bring us together to honor the life of this extraordinary man we all had the privilege of knowing.