Liz and Family
Larry and I send our love and prayers for your loss of this sweet lady. She will be sadly missed by every life she has touched. Rest in peace sweet lady.
MACMILLAN, Charlotte Elsie
1931 - 2023
It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Charlotte Elsie MacMillan (nee Veley). Referred to by many other friends, she was “Els”.
On the morning of July 23, 2023, at approximately ten in the morning, at the Temiskaming Shores Hospital in New Liskeard, Ontario, and at the age of 91, Elsie once again left for greener pastures.
First child to Adam and Alice Veley, Elsie was born on August 16, 1931 at home.
She had six brothers and sisters. Fern Woods (Jack), Joyce Drinkill (Bill), Sam Veley (Berthanna), Ernest Veley (Diane), May Woods (Ken) and Marjorie Neill (Mervin).
As it was in those days, the oldest of seven children, and being raised on a farm, Elsie had to quit school at an early age and help look after the homestead and help with the younger siblings. Farm life in those days was not the easiest life. There were no tractors. All farm work was done by hand and a team of horses. No gas or electric furnaces. Stoves needed wood and it was a team of horses that was hooked to a pile of trees and dragged out to be cut up used to put in stoves for cooking and heating the homes. Around the age of nineteen, Elsie got the urge to make her own way in the world. She left the farm, the siblings, the hard work and ventured off to greener pastures. She began her adventures in the city of New Liskeard, working at the New Liskeard Hotel, she moved on from there to a variety of jobs including cook at the Husky and Hill Clark Frances where she worked for many years.
She met Alf MacMillan in the 1950’s. Alf owned a taxi stand along with his partner, Ed Drinkill. On July 20, 1957, they decided to tie the knot and were married in a small ceremony where their close friends celebrated their future life together.
As the wife of Alfred MacMillan and mother of four; Joan (Dennie) Morin, David MacMillan and Elizabeth (Pat) McLeod, Jocelyn (Don) Pipe, she soon grew tired of city life. She yearned for the freedom of life as a farmer, and she told Alf that he would love it too. They bought a farm in Diamond Township, New Liskeard, ON, where they raised cattle, sheep, chickens and goats.
Elsie was known for her homemade bread and buns. She would make it for her friends that were ill. She would put loaves in the freezer so that when friends and family came to visit, she always had the best bread in town to make them a sandwich. Everyone knew that if you were hungry and money was scarce, you could always go to see Elsie and she would make sure you had a good meal under your belt before you left.
Elsie loved the Salvation Army. Twice a year the Salvation Army would hold a Bake Sale to raise money for the church and twice a year Elsie would make a batch of bread and donate it to them for their bake sale. There were times when a single loaf of her bread would sell for Fourteen Dollars ($14.00) a loaf.
Elsie was predeceased by her mother and father, Adam and Alice Veley, by her husband Alfred MacMillan. Her youngest daughter, Jocelyn Pipe. Her sister Fern Woods, and brothers Sam and Ernest Veley.
Elsie and Alf had four grandchildren. Robert (Stephanie) Morin, Gennifer (Dean) Walker, Christopher (Tammy) McLeod and Alexander Pipe. They had six Great Grandchildren. Cassidy, Joshua, Breanna and Braeden, Abigail and Addison, along with five Great-Great Grandchildren, Daniel, Landon, Kaia, Lucas and Jessa.
They also had many nieces and nephews.
The family would like to thank all the doctors and nurses that looked after her while she was in their care.
Cremation has already taken place at Timiskaming Funeral Cooperative – Formerly Perrin Funeral Chapel in New Liskeard. In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations to the Palliative Care Unit in the Temiskaming Shores Hospital in New Liskeard.
Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.
Write your sympathies or tribute