Marlene Marie Mac Millan
Funeral service for the late Marlene Marie Mac Millan, 80, Upper South River, Antigonish County, was held October 23 in King’s United Church, Loch Katrine, with Reverend Dr. L. Bradley Little officiating. Burial was in Cummings Cemetery, Upper South River. Ashes will also be buried at Campburn Farm in the family cemetery at a later date.
Mrs. Mac Millan died October 19, 2018, in St. Mary’s Memorial Hospital, Sherbrooke, Guysborough County.
Readers at the funeral service were Brenda Tingley, Michael McGinn and Ian Little. Thoughts of remembrance were given by Beverley Little. Music was provided by Margaret MacGregor MacDonald, Lori Hornick, Corine Rehn, Alici aLittle and organist Emery Van de Wiel.
Urn bearer was Samuel McGinn.
Tartan bearers were Ryan McGinn and Patrick McGinn.
Honorary pallbearers were Greg and Shirley Giffin, Ronnie and Ethel Gunn, Terry and Danna Taylor, Leo and Janet Duggan, Frank and Theresa MacDonald, Grant and Janet Colpitts, Bernadette Chisholm, Linda Roddick, Betty MacIsaac, Dawn Howard, Bill Knox and Don Butler.
Born December 9, 1937, at Campburn Farm, Harvey Station, New Brunswick, she was the oldest child of the late Gilbert and Ruth (Little) Robison. She grew up on the farm, which raised prize-winning Jersey cattle and Clydesdale horses. She helped orchestrate two Robison family reunions and a Harvey Settlers reunion, which was held in Scotland. She graduated from Harvey High School in 1955, attended Fredericton Business School and, after a brief time in the workforce, went to NSAC to pursue a diploma in agriculture, where she met her husband, Don R. Mac Millan. They continued to MacDonald College, the agricultural campus of McGill University in Montreal. She completed a BSc in Agriculture and was a member of the Mac Class of 65. She served as life secretary for her class. She worked at farm management in Truro, before becoming the regional 4-H rep for western Nova Scotia. In 1968, she was named provincial 4-H supervisor, a position she held until after her marriage, when she chose to work alongside her husband in their family business ventures, Floraburn Farm and Flower Shop and Mac Millan’s Greenhouses. In later years, she worked for CanFarm, the Nova Scotia Farm Loan and spent five summers as an historic interpreter at Sherbrooke Village. She organized, supported, encouraged her two children and three grandsons, whether in the audience at a Christmas concert, in the arena of a hockey rink, or on the sidelines of a 4-H show ring. She was active in the community and her church. She was a life member of King’s United Church UCW, and also served as an elder, UCW president, and Sunday school superintendent in the church. She was instrumental in forming the Loch Clover 4-H Club in the early 1980s. She enjoyed games of Scrabble, photos, letter writing and was an avid follower of the Royal family. In her younger years, she enjoyed winter sports including skating and downhill skiing.
She is survived by her husband of 46 years, Don; daughter, Ruth (Michael) McGinn, Waternish; son, Scott, Heatherton; three grandsons, Ryan, Samuel and Patrick McGinn; two sisters, Gail (Harvey) MacDonald, Beverley (Ross) Little, both of Harvey Station, New Brunswick; two sisters-in-law, Evelyn, Stewiacke; Beverly Mac Millan, Upper South River; seven nieces, nephews and their families, Darren, Lori, Corine, Ian, Robert, Shawn, Alicia; numerous cousins.
She was predeceased by brother, Graham Robison; in-laws, Donald D. and Laura Mac Millan; best friend, Eleanor Knox
Memorial donations may be made to Cummings Cemetery, Upper South River, or a 4-H Scholarship fund to be established in her memory.
Online condolences: www.MacIsaacs.ca