Bertha Mills, of the Preeceville Long Term Care Centre, and formerly of Sturgis, passed away on Tuesday, July 29, 2025. She was 100 years of age. Bertha Elizabeth Mills was born on July 15, 1925. She was the fifth child and the first daughter born to John Wesley and Louisa (Bryan) Mills on the family farm (N.W. 34-36-5 W2) south of Endeavour.
She attended the Lilian School, located half a mile north of the farm, from grades 1 to 9. She also helped on the farm with the chores, garden and helping with her younger siblings. During her younger years, she enjoyed getting together with the Crozier cousins and special occasions at Grandpa and Grandma Bryan’s house.
After finishing school, Bertha went to work at the St. James Anglican Mission for Miss Henderson - Bishop’s Messenger. Bertha did the housekeeping and helped with the Church Organizations – Sunday School, Junior Auxiliary (J.A.), Girl’s Auxiliary (G.A.), Anglican Young People’s Association (A.Y.P.A.). They went to the churches in Rockford, Lady Lake, Hinchliffe, and Ypres. She then went to Moose Jaw to help her sister, Esther. After leaving Moose Jaw, she joined the St. Faith’s Bishops Messenger’s at The Pas, Manitoba. She continued her dedication to mission work in the northern communities of Grand Rapids, Griswold, Wabowden and Mafeking and then to The Pas. Bertha took some courses at the K.C.C. (Keewatin community College) where she obtained a Nurse’s Aide Training Certificate and began working at St. Anthony’s Hospital on the maternity ward. She worked there until she was required to come home to care for her mother in 1982. In the fall of 1984, she returned to The Pas where she continued in childcare – babysitting for families.
Bertha decided that she wanted to be closer to her family and in 1995, she made her move to Sturgis where she purchased her new home. She enjoyed living in Sturgis and becoming part of the community. In 2016, she decided she did not want to live alone anymore and moved to the Preeceville Personal Care home (Crozier). She lived here until December 2024, when her health deteriorated and she needed to move to the Preeceville Long Term Care Facility where she passed away peacefully on July 29. 2025.
Bertha enjoyed many things in her lifetime. She was a faithful member of St. James Anglican Church in Endeavour and Christ Church in The Pas, The Horticultural Clubs in The Pas and Sturgis, and the Sturgis Read Club. She also enjoyed gardening (especially her flowers), rocks (collecting and polishing), knitting, crocheting and cross stitching. She also liked to travel, making trips to the United States and different points in Canada. Her last trips were a bus tour to Eastern Canada and a train trip to Churchill.
Bertha’s final mission in her life was to make it to her 100th birthday which she did on July 15. She enjoyed her birthday party with family and friends at the LTC facility.
Bertha was predeceased by her parents, Wesley, and Louisa Mills; brothers, Clarence, James (Alice), Lloyd (Esther), George (Viola); sisters, Margret (Peter Schmelinsky/Harold Gilmore) and Eva Mutlow; sisters-in-law, Doreen Mills and Lenore Mills; brother-in-law, Charles Arneson. She is survived by her brothers, Ralph, and Alfred; sisters, Ella Arneson and Esther (Tony) Tumak; brother-in-law, Larry Mutlow and sister-in-law, Ann Mills as well as many nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Funeral Services were held on Wednesday, August 6, 2025, from the Chapel of Preeceville Funeral Home with Rev. Luanne Hrywkiw of Holy Trinity Anglican Church officiating. Debbie Blender played the piano for the hymns “In the Garden”, “My Faith Looks Up to Thee” and “Nearer My God to Thee”. Lorissa Petras and Loranda Shuba read the scriptures. Interment followed at the Etomamie Valley Cemetery with Danny and Tim Mills, Wesley, Bryan, and Casey Arneson and Tyler Blender serving as casket bearers. Memorial donations may be made to St. James Anglican Church (Box 434, Preeceville, Sk. S0A 3B0 as gifts of remembrance. Condolences can be sent to the family by visiting Bertha’s tribute page at preecevillefuneralhome.com. Arrangements were entrusted to Preeceville Funeral Home.
