Obituary of Olive Marilyn Millman

Olive Marilyn Millman (nee Gardiner) May 5, 1935 - January 22, 2022 Olive “Marilyn” Millman, 86, passed away peacefully in the company of her girls on January 22, 2022. Her passing was made easier thanks to the incredible staff of the London Health Sciences Centre/LHSC and Queen’s Village senior’s home. Special mention to Karli & Joanna (LHSC), Idowu (QV), and in the years preceding, Randall Hall and the invaluable Cindy Ens. Born in Sarnia, Marilyn Gardiner grew up in London & Ottawa. A proud graduate of Glebe Collegiate, she received her BA and teaching degrees from UWO. She then moved to London, England where she taught English and married Barry Millman (Ottawa). The family returned to St.Catherines in 1966 before Marilyn settled to raise her girls in London, ON. She was inspired by her work at Siskinds & Cromarty Law Firm, and shared this teaching in the legal clerk program at Fanshawe College. She later joined the ECG team at Victoria Hospital as a secretary. Retirement led her to 26 years in Grand Bend where she loved being close to Lake Huron. Over many years, she volunteered for Leader Dogs for the Blind, for whom she raised 3 litters of puppies with her beloved Labrador, Abby. Marilyn leaves a legacy of laughter, love and kindness. Marilyn had a deep, abiding love for arts and culture which she instilled in all her children and grandchildren. She opened the way to the wonders of imaginary worlds. Her intrepid sense of adventure led her from camping in Mt Vesuvius to horseback riding in the Rockies, dancing ceilidhs in Scotland, following the Mormon Trail, skating, skiing, camping... She was a lot of fun! Never one to miss the opportunity to tell a great story, Marilyn spent her last years compiling a thorough history of the Gardiner family, which can be viewed at the Lambton County Archives in Wyoming, ON. Marilyn is the daughter of Robert and Olive (Mills) Gardiner. She is predeceased by her brother Jack and sister Joan (Donald) MacKenzie. Marilyn will be dearly missed by her three beloved daughters Lynne, Christine (Jim), and Suzanne (Ross) Hartline, two grandchildren Jesse (Charles) and Kwadjo, their father Kwesi, as well as five nieces and nephews: John (Inger) MacKenzie, Barbara Molson, Gordon (Donna) MacKenzie, Kim (Greg) McCabe, and Douglas (Patty) MacKenzie, and grand-nieces/nephews. Marilyn will be buried at Mount Pleasant Cemetery, London. We are planning a celebration of her life at the Pinery in the spring. A virtual wake will be hosted for family and friends on Thursday, January 27 from 8-10pm EST. Please call/Facetime, or text/email for the Zoom link. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that any donations support Marilyn’s passions: Lambton County Museums & Archives (https://forms.lambtonmuseums.ca/Donations), Friends of the Pinery (https://pinerypark.on.ca), or Leader Dogs for the Blind (https://www.leaderdog.org). Online condolences may be made to www.mpcemetery.ca Mount Pleasant Cemetery (London) Inc., London, Ontario.