Loreen McMillan

Obituary (with Photo) for Loreen McMillan 

It is with sadness and love that we say good-bye to Loreen McMillan, who passed away at the Gilbert Plains Health Centre on May 21st. To her last days, Loreen was in good spirits and happy in her new home in Gilbert Plains, enjoying the people around her.
A Manitoban through and through, Loreen grew up in The Pas. In her single life, she enjoyed taking trips with her girlfriends, often by bus, to explore Canada and the US. Eventually, she worked for CN Rail, and took advantage of her access to the train to visit family in Winnipeg and Thunder Bay.
Loreen spent most of her adult years in Dauphin, first on her own and then with her husband, William “Bill” McMillan, who she married in 1968.
From her young teens, Loreen dealt with severe arthritis, which brought a great deal of pain and disability to her life. Despite this, she kept a good attitude and made the best of each day with little complaint. Not that she didn’t have her down days - she definitely did - but she didn’t dwell on the negatives of her life. She accepted her situation and focused on what made her happy.
Loreen enjoyed writing to her many pen-pals, doing a variety of hand-arts (including cross stitch and crewel), following sports, reading, and listening to music (she would “chair dance”, as she called it, to the beat). She and Bill enjoyed archery together for a number of years.
Loreen absolutely adored the cats in her life, and there were many, including Biggie, Kai, Shem and Autumn. Although she and Bill had no family of their own, they supported children through the Foster Parent Plan. Loreen kept in touch by letter with her many friends, family, pen-pals and FPP children for decades, until she could no longer type.
Loreen was pre-deceased by her mother (Florence Hazel Johnson), father (Herman Finger McKinnon), brother (Malcolm “Mac” Keith McKinnon) and nephew (Ryan B. McKinnon). She is survived by her nieces Carri J. McKinnon (Marty Lelliott) and Kristin D. McKinnon (Bruce Rutherford) and her nephew, Kyle M. McKinnon (Shannon Keetch). Loreen is also survived by her sister-in-law Joyce McKinnon (nee Forster), great-nephews (Keith and Erik Lelliott, Stacey McKinnon), nieces (Corrin and Rowan McKinnon) and family on Bill’s side.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in Loreen’s memory to the Parkland Humane Society, Plan International Canada or Arthritis Research Canada.
We will miss you, Aunt Loreen.

A funeral service will be held for Loreen at a later date.

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