Esther L. Mills

    Esther Leila (Wyborn) Mills was born on April 28, 1933. She was the twelfth child born to Herbert and Jean (Morrison) Wyborn on the family farm (N.E.-12-34-8W2) in the Hazel Dell District.

    She attended Lone Spruce School for grades 1 to 9 walking 2 ½ miles accompanied by two of her sisters. After leaving school, Esther went to work for families in Hazel Dell and Kelvington providing childcare and housekeeping duties. She then moved to Wadena to work for a doctor and his wife as their housekeeper. In 1956, Esther moved to Wiarton, Ontario where she worked in a nursing home. In 1958, she came back to Hazel Dell with her dad and spent the summer on the farm.

    Before going back to Ontario in the fall of 1958, Esther attended her niece Lenora’s wedding in Endeavour where she met her future husband, Lloyd Mills. They were married on June 12, 1959, at Wiarton, Ontario.

    After their wedding, they returned to the Mills family farm where they lived for over fifty-two years. Esther worked alongside her husband operating a mixed farm where she fed the animals, milked the cows, raised many chickens, and did all the other jobs that went with farming.  Esther also enjoyed gardening. She grew a large vegetable garden and tended to her flowers … especially her lady slippers. In her spare time, she enjoyed knitting and crocheting many afghans, tablecloths, doilies, dishcloths, potholders and mitts. She also made many quilts. She enjoyed cooking, especially baking. She was well known for her pies, and they were enjoyed by all.

    Esther was an active member in the St. James Anglican Church and the Church of the Good Shepherd. She was also a member of the A.C.W. – (Anglican Church Women). She enjoyed working at the Churchmouse Sale.

    In 2013, Esther left the farm and moved into a privately owned apartment building in Preeceville where she lived until September 2023. She moved into the Preeceville and District Health Center – Long Term Care on November 30 where she lived until her passing. She passed away peacefully on December 24 with family at her side.

    Esther was predeceased by her husband, Lloyd; parents, Herbert & Jean; brothers, Dave (Mabel), Elmer, William (Barb), Wesley (Helen), Clifford, Edgar; sisters, Mary (Harold) Langdon, Annie (Gordon) Smith, Caroline (Andy) MacDonald, Olive (John) Kereluke; brother-in-law Bill Oryszcszyn.

    She is survived by her four children – Daniel (Teresa); Debbie (Raymond) Blender; Lois (Richard) Shoulak; Linda (Brent) Galbraith and nine grandchildren – Tom Quiring, Danielle Mills (Karter Narfason), Loranda (Scott) Shuba, Tyler (Meghan Morton) Blender, Sarah (Steve) Comaniuk, Holly (Jesse) Shoulak, Rachel Shoulak, Rebecca (Shannon) Galbraith, Clinton Galbraith.  Her six great-grandchildren – Ayda, Deklyn, & Locklyn Morton-Blender, Charlotte & Lincoln Comaniuk, Juniper Galbraith, and Alecia Shuba. She is also survived by her sister, Alvena Oryszczyn, brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.