Obituaries

Oregon-

Mildred (Millie) Cecelia Williams passed away peacefully with family at her side on November 19, 2023. She was born on May 30, 1927, in Mineral Point, Wisconsin to George and Celia Philipps. She attended grade school and high school in Mineral Point, after which she entered nurses training at St. Mary’s Hospital in Madison, earning her diploma in 1948. She worked at St. Mary’s as an Operating Room nurse for many years, retiring in 1991 when computers came into the OR!

During nurses training, she met her husband William “Bill” Williams. They married in 1949 and went on to have 5 children, who she was very proud of. All of her kids were involved in sports and the number of games she attended was innumerable. She was a wonderful wife, mother, sister, grandmother and great-grandmother.

Millie really worked hard at living. She had many ups, downs and frustrations as she fought that horrible disease of diabetes for decades, and never gave into it. She had it under control to the very end.

Millie was very spiritual. Even through the loss of her husband and three of her children, she remained steadfast in her faith. She loved seeing the cardinals that would visit each day. The vibrant red cardinal was an uplifting happy sign that those we have lost will live forever so long as we keep them in our memory. The pleasant song of the cardinals was a reminder of those cherished memories.

People use many words to describe Millie: feisty, spitfire and spicey were just a few. She was always up for any adventure. She was sassy and spirited until the end.

She was a great athlete, but her kids would tell her, when it came to football, she had good legs but no hands! Millie was an accomplished seamstress. She loved playing the piano. We were reminded that she was the best Girl Scout leader ever! She loved growing her vegetable garden and canning.

Her greatest love in her later years was taking care of the birds and little critters in her yard. Millie had many cardinals visit her each day. Two ground squirrels, “Chippie” and “Charlie” gave her so much pleasure. But she did do battle with the squirrels (she didn’t win). Millie loved little dogs, especially senior rescues. She had many over the years, one of which lived to 22 years, 4 months.

At Easter time you could always count on Millie insisting on the famous egg crack game.

She was a planner and at every family get together, she had games and events for all to enjoy.

Euchre, dominoes, left-center-right, Mexican Train and Wii Bowling (she was a champ – she always won!) She loved to fish – even wrote her legislator and told him that fishing licenses should be free for anyone over 90. She had her own aluminum fishing boat “Miss Millie.”

She made one heckuva great turkey stuffing and her pie crusts were out of this world!

She had her wits about her (most of the time!) and drove until a few weeks ago. She was fiercely independent and could be a bit naughty at times. At 93, she drove herself to Black River Falls and was excited as she had never hit 100 mph before! We chuckle as we remember Milie being a volunteer driver when she was 80, driving “little old ladies to their doctor’s appointments.” We sure hope she wasn’t speeding with them! Diplomacy was not her strong suit. She said it like she saw it!

Millie spent as much time as she could at the Oregon Area Senior Center where she was always up for a game, movie, lunch, or whatever was in store that day. She had so many great friends and good times there. Thanks to everyone associated with the Senior Center.

We are so grateful to those who visited her so much over the past few years and brought her food, comfort and companionship. Her sisters and brothers were there through thick and thin, always getting her out and about. There are so many who made such a difference, cousins Dave and Joyce, Teri, Ann, Meg and Trudi. Thanks to Sharon for her loving care. Jake – you were the reason she could spend time with little dog Popeye the last few months. Thank you to her incredible friends and neighbors in Rolling Meadows. Cliff – she leaned on you constantly – thanks for being there for her. She was proud to be one of the Lovely Ladies of Cell Court! A special thank you to Dr. Ozers and his team at SSM Health. Thank you for your kind and patient care to Millie. Jayne and Wolf – your guidance over the past 45 years is so appreciated. In our grief, we know we are forgetting people, please understand we trying to condense 96 years of life into a few paragraphs and seek your understanding.

They say as long as you are telling stories and talking about someone, they are never gone. In Millie’s case, the stories will last for many years.

Millie is survived by her children: Stanley T. (Dyanne) Williams and Kathy (Richard) Logan; her siblings, Lucille (Jack) Winters, Annette (Clete) Minter, Vic (Dianne) Philipps and Margaret (Gib) Gant; sister-in-law Mary Allness Philipps, daughter in law Kathy Chesley Williams, and daughter in law Bonnie Reik She is survived by grandchildren: Mike Williams of Madison, Wi, Matt (Jessica) Williams of Anchorage, AK, Tim Williams (fiancée Sasha) and their mother Mary (Williams) Wright, Brad (Jessica) Williams of Oregon, WI and his mother Sally (Williams) Cox, as well as bonus grandchildren Katie Logan of San Antonio, TX, RJ (Nelli) Logan of Brodhead, WI and Corey (Stephanie) Chesley of Madison, WI, Kim (Stevie) Chesley-Breland of Charleston, SC, Brie Chesley(partner Kris Hood) of Fort Collins, CO. Several great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, as well a grand nieces and nephews.

Millie was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Bill; sons, Steve, Dan and Ed; her son-in-law, Jim Topp; brother Bill and wife Shirley, brother Bernard and wife Jane and brother Roger Philipps.

If your heart is so moved, the family would welcome donations in Millie’s memory to Oregon Area Council on Aging (COA), and can be mailed to 219 Park St., Oregon WI 53575. This organization funds the Senior Center and helps keep seniors healthy, happy and engaged in life.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 am on Tuesday, December 12, 2023 at Holy Mother of Consolation Catholic Church, 651 N. Main St., Oregon. Visitation will be held from 10:00 a.m. until the time of Mass. Luncheon will follow at the Oregon Village Hall Community Room, 101 Alpine Pkwy, Oregon.

To view and sign this guestbook, please visit: www.ryanfuneralservice.com.