Obituary of Colena MacMillan

MacMillan (MacDonnell), Colena – passed away peacefully on Friday, February 16, 2024, eight months shy of her hundredth birthday. For the past number of years, she was a contented, mischievous resident of the R.K. MacDonald Nursing Home in Antigonish.

Born in Glengarry, Mabou, Colena was one of seventeen children born to John Andrew and Mary Cassie (Cameron) MacDonnell. She married Neil Bernard MacMillan on September 9, 1950. They spent their early days in Windsor, ON, before returning to Cape Breton to raise their family on the Shore Road in Judique.

Colena was a devout Catholic and longtime parishioner of St. Andrew’s Church, Judique. She was a stay-at-home mom from 1950 to 1975 and a seamstress at Mary’s Hill Home in Mabou from 1975 until 1988. She loved the independence of her driver’s license and the fun of attending dances, concerts, parties, and Ceilidh’s. In her own words, her most cherished and memorable moments were the adoption of her children and the birth of her grandchildren.

Colena is survived by her children, David (Jane) MacMillan; Lynn (Rinus) Van de Ven; Kevin (Connie) MacMillan; grandchildren, Kelly, Shannon, Bradley, Renus, Kenzie and Kevin; great-grandchildren, Koen, Annika, Peyton, Emersyn, Parker; brother, Lawrence; sister, Annie; sisters-in-law, Betty, Frances, Edriz, Charlotte and numerous nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her husband, Bernie; grandson, Blake; siblings, John A., Margie, Janet, Donald, Malkie, Rita, Cassie, Alexander, Angus A., John Francis, Alex Duncan, Gerome, Roddie and Collie.

We sincerely wish to thank the staff of the R. K. MacDonald for their loving care of our mom.

Visitation will be from 2-7 p.m. on Wednesday, February 21, in the Community Room in the Judique Fire Hall. Funeral Mass will be 11 a.m. on Thursday from St. Andrew’s Roman Catholic Church, Judique with Father Allan MacMillan officiating. Burial in the parish cemetery at a later date. Memorial donations may be made to the R.K. MacDonald Nursing Home, Antigonish. Arrangements are under the care and direction of the Dennis Haverstock Funeral Home, Port Hawkesbury. Words of comfort may be forwarded to the family at www.haverstocks.com