Obituary of Casilda Eileen Gillis New Waterford

It is with great sadness that we announce the peaceful passing of a loving mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister, aunt and friend. Casilda, age 94, passed away at the New Waterford Consolidated Hospital on Sunday, October 1, 2017.

Born in Sydney Mines, she was the daughter of the late William and Sarah Ann (Bonner) Bonnar. She was a long-time member of the former St. Michael’s Church, River Ryan and more recently St. Leonard’s Church, New Waterford.

She was a member of the Carmelite’s and was devoted in her Roman Catholic faith.

A Registered Nurse; Casilda graduated from the New Waterford General Hospital in 1945. Her first placement was at St. Rita’s Maternity Hospital, Sydney.  On July 19, 1948, in North Sydney, she married the love of her life, John Angus Gillis. She later returned to New Waterford and worked at the New Waterford General Hospital and the New Waterford Consolidated Hospital until her retirement in 1985.

She enjoyed traveling, especially her trips to Florida, Hawaii, British Columbia, Quebec and Boston. She also enjoyed playing cards; she truly loved a good game of 45’s. Casilda was also a member of Aging Gracefully and the New Waterford Pensioners Club. Mom remains in our memory as a strong willed and family oriented woman. 

She is survived by her six loving children: daughters Janet (Mack) MacKinnon and Cheryl (Charlie) Oliver, both of New Waterford; sons Angus (Judith), New Waterford, Hughie (Helen), Victoria Mines, Bobby (Juanita), Sydney and Michael (Kim), New Waterford. Her 16 cherished grandchildren; Shannon (Dwayne) Buchanan, Darren (Angie) MacKinnon, Jason (Ainslie) Gillis, Aaron Gillis, Colin (Christina) Gillis, Andrea (Lee) Gillis, Julie (Dan) House-Duru, Alison (Jimmy) Gillis, Jonathan (Ashley) Gillis, Sarah Gillis, Jessica Gillis and Haley, Joseph, Madison and Aidan Oliver; great-grandchildren Ryan MacKinnon, Taya and Aria Duru, Alex Gillis and Abigail Gillis. She will also be sadly missed by her sister Theresa (late Milton) Jardine, Sydney Mines and sisters in-law Mary (late Ray) Gillis and Theresa (late “Buster”) Bates, close friend, Barbara Gillis and numerous nieces, nephews and friends.

Besides her parents, she was also predeceased by her loving husband of 44 years John “Spike” Gillis (1992); grandson Jordan Michael  Gillis (2013);  brothers, Henry, Alphonsus, William, Edgar and Wilfred Bonnar; sisters Rachel Bonnar, Sarah Higgins, Magdalene MacNeil, Monica Buchanan, Rita LaForet, Angela Taylor, Catherine MacGean, Patricia MacKenzie, Camillus Roth, Eva Bonnar and Elizabeth Olszowiec.

Visitation will be held Wednesday, October 4, 2017 from 5-9 pm in V.J. McGillivray Funeral Home, 380 Smith Street, New Waterford. The funeral mass, officiated by Fr. Ray Huntley and concelebrated by Fr. Jim Oliver, will be celebrated on Thursday at 10 a.m. in St. Leonard’s Church, Mt. Carmel Avenue, New Waterford.

Interment will follow in St. Michael’s Parish Cemetery, River Ryan.

All are invited to join the family for a reception at St Leonard’s Parish Hall, Convent Street, New Waterford.

As an expression of sympathy for Casilda, memorial donations in her memory may be made to St. Leonard’s Church, BEC Scholastic Fund or to a charity of one’s choice.

On-line condolences to the family can be expressed through the funeral home website: www.vjmcgillivray.ca