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Obituary
Lees, Millis
June 5, 1938 – November 19, 2023
In loving memory of our mother, Millis Lees, who passed away on November 19, 2023. Millis was the devoted wife of Ron Lees, loving mother of Karen English (Jeff) and Hilary Watson, cherished grandmother to Ashleigh Dumas (Matt), Matthew Watson (Jess), Andrew English (Sarah) and Tom English (Kristen) and great grandmother to Aivah and Skylar Dumas, and Riley Vellow-English. She will be deeply missed, and her presence felt forever by us all.
Our mother was a kind, caring and giving person who always put the needs of her family and friends before her own. She was a strong woman who faced every challenge with courage and dignity. She endured several illnesses in her lifetime and triumphed over them all, until her final battle with an incurable cancer.
She was a source of inspiration, and she will be deeply missed by everyone whose lives she touched. She was blessed with many close and lifelong friends.
Millis was born in Glasgow, Scotland, the daughter of Sarah (Davidson) and Charles Cubberly, and sister of Joelsa Walmsley, all now deceased. She graduated from Jordan Hill Teachers’ College and met her partner and soul mate of over 60 years, Ron, shortly thereafter in Glasgow in 1961. Soon after they married, they moved to St. Lucia where their daughters were born, and later emigrated to Canada when the children were of school age. They were fortunate to enjoy a lifetime of travel and adventure and Mum loved to regale us with stories of growing up in wartime Britain, life in the West Indies and their travels and friendships around the world. A non-swimmer and someone who was desperately afraid of heights, she considered two of her greatest conquests the experience of being submerged in a submarine in the Caribbean Sea and rising above the earth in a hot air balloon near Kingston.
After raising her family Millis furthered her studies, graduating from Queens University in 1986, with a combined degree in English Literature and Art History – subjects which were her lifelong passions. She proceeded to represent the constituents of Pittsburgh township in the role of Municipal Councillor where she led and participated on many committees, until she was required to resign to join our father on a sabbatical abroad. Her spirit of volunteerism was evident in our formative years where she participated at our school elective programs, teaching batik and art classes and later, as a volunteer at Kingston General Hospital helping prepare cardiac patients ready themselves for upcoming surgery and provided coaching to assist with their subsequent recoveries, as a survivor of cardiac surgery herself.
A lover of art, literature, poetry, nature, beautiful gardens, cultivated and wild, and things of quality in general, her spirit will live on for us in all those things. Her creativity shone in her beautiful paintings and the magnificent gardens she and Ron designed and nurtured together over the years. She brought a sense of humour, an infectious laugh and a great appreciation for the family and friends who were such an important part of her life, and there was nothing she loved more than having fun.
The family would like to thank the staff at Kingsbridge Retirement Community, Dr. Janique Dyba and her team, and the staff at the Kingston Cancer Care Centre for their ongoing compassion and care in supporting our mother as well as the staff at KGH and Providence Care in easing her journey at the end.
The funeral service will be held at James Reid Funeral Home (1900 John Counter Blvd.) on Thursday, November 23, 2023 at 10:00 am. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Sandy Pines Wildlife Centre or the Kingston Humane Society.
Mum, you will always be in our hearts and in our thoughts, each and every day.
June 5 1938
November 19 2023
Death notice for the town of: Kingston, Province: Ontario
death notice Millis Laird Lees June 5 1938
November 19 2023
obituaries notice Millis Laird Lees June 5 1938
November 19 2023
We offer our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Millis Laird Lees June 5 1938
November 19 2023 and hope that their memory may be a source of comfort during this difficult time. Your thoughts and kind words are greatly appreciated.
