Gillis – Lucille Gillis (Dorothy Lucille Seely), age 80, passed away peacefully January 18th, 2021 surrounded by family at home. She was born November 9th, 1940 in Claresholm, Alberta to Dan and Ethel Seely. Lucille was the oldest of five children. She grew up on the family farm and ranch in Gem, Alberta until she married Walt Andrus when they moved to their house at the river. They soon welcomed a son, Lyle, to their little family. They then moved to the Bow City area before moving to Duchess. Lucille and Walt eventually went separate ways and Lucille and Lyle moved to Red Deer. There she enjoyed her worked at a care facility for the disabled. After a few years she decided it was time to move back closer to her family and so she moved to Brooks. It was here where Lucille and Bob Gillis began their courting and soon married. Lucille became a step mother to three girls, Kathy, Laura and Sandra. They lived in the community of Cassils for several years before moving to Duchess. She took pride in teaching the girls to bake, garden, crochet and play cards. Lucille worked for over two decades for the Telephone Answering Service as an operator and a manager. She loved her job there and enjoyed the ladies she worked with. Some of her favourite hobbies were gardening, ceramics, listening to country music, watching curling, catching local parades and rodeos and of course a game of crib. She loved to go fishing at Reg Kessler’s pond every summer. Lucille enjoyed the simple pleasures of life like a family dinner and a game of cards. She never got too worked up about anything and her words of wisdom were often, “everything usually works out”. Bob suddenly passed away in the winter of 1994 and Lucille suffered severe health problems shortly afterwards. She decided it was time to move into Newbrook Lodge and lived there until the fall of 2020. After a series of health issues Lucille moved to Calgary with her daughter Sandra. She had a short stay at Agecare long term care and then returned to Sandra’s home. She was predeceased by her beloved husband Bob Gillis; her parents, Dan and Ethel Seely; her brother Jack Seely and her great nephew Wacy Brodoway. Lucille is survived by her sisters Marlene (Ivan) Wigemyr of Dunmore and Joyce (Jerry) Calvert of Bow City; brother Justin (Joy) Seely of Hanna; son Lyle (Candace) Andrus of Bowden; step daughters, Kathy (Lee) Smith of Consort, Laura Kennedy of Medicine Hat and Sandra (Daryl) Youck of Calgary; her dear brother-in-law Garry (Kathy) Gillis of Duchess; twelve grandchildren; eight great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. She will be deeply missed. A burial for Lucille’s ashes will be held at a later date in Bassano, Alberta.
Cremation is entrusted to and conducted by
Smith Funeral Home Ltd. and Crematorium, Brooks
Funeral arrangements entrusted to:
SMITH FUNERAL HOME LTD. AND CREMATORIUM
BROOKS, ALBERTA
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