Construction tycoon and philanthropist I.E. Millstone missing
Missouri Water Patrol officials on May 18 resumed their search for the body of a man who was seen jumping into the Missouri River two days earlier.
Authorities feared Isadore “I.E.” Millstone, 102, of the Millstone/Bangert construction firm, was the man who jumped from the Daniel Boone Bridge into the Missouri River at about 1:15 p.m. on Sat., May 16. Authorities said the incident occurred just about the same time Millstone, of Ladue, went missing.
Investigators around that time found an unattended vehicle belonging to Millstone’s caretaker near the bridge and authorities said they believe the caretaker had not driven the vehicle there.
The patrol will continue searching for at least a week but the swollen Missouri River has made the search difficult, officials said.
Prayers for Millstone’s safety were said by his family, who said he had left letters to some family members prior to his disappearance and that he had been suffering from anxiety after taking pain medication for a recent shoulder injury.
Millstone, who has outlived his two wives and two children, built with his construction company several St. Louis landmarks, including the “Meeting of the Waters” fountain near Union Station, the double-decker Hwy. 40 (Interstate 64) through downtown, Northwest Plaza and the former Busch Stadium that opened in 1966.
He also was a visionary in the 1950s when he donated 120 acres at Lindbergh Blvd. and Schuetz Road for what would become the home of the Jewish Community Center, its campus named for the Millstone family.
“Many people thought it was too far west,” said Rabbi Howard Kaplansky, of United Hebrew Congregation in Creve Coeur. “But he is the kind of person when he speaks, everyone listens. We look to his vision. His is always looking forward with imagination.”
On May 3, Millstone spoke at the grand opening of the new Staenberg Family Complex on the Jewish Community Center campus, Kaplansky said.
“His mind was keen when he spoke at the Staenberg opening,” Kaplansky said. “He was the only one who spoke without notes and people were riveted by what he said.”
Millstone, who graduated in 1927 from Washington University with an engineering degree, contributed in many areas, including education, culture, religion and philanthropy. Those contributions, Kaplansky said, have improved the quality of life for many people, directly and indirectly.
“He is a man universally respected and admired,” Kaplansky said. “He has had an impact, an important influence improving the quality of life for so many people, including everyone in St. Louis, whether they are aware or not.”
While the Millstone name is now on many buildings, including Washington University and United Hebrew, Millstone never asked for any special favors or privileges at United Hebrew, Kaplansky said.
“He never asked for any special treatment,” Kaplansky said. “He had a life for over a century, a life of accomplishments, full and rich, which enhanced the lives of other people. That’s what defines his life - how he lived it, not how it (presumably) ended.”
