Obituary of Mildred James

Mildred passed away peacefully on Saturday September 28, 2024 at the age of 96.  The youngest child of Jake and May (Rusnell) Reesor, she was born August 5, 1928 and grew up on a farm in Lincolnville, north of Stouffville. She gave her heart to the Lord at about age nine, in a children’s meeting conducted by Miss Annie Yeo.  After attending Stouffville Continuation School, she was employed for a short time at Brierbush Hospital and helped in various homes with new babies, before marrying Walter Thomson in 1947 and moving to his farm in Box Grove.  Mildred and Walter had seven children: Sharon – deceased (Bob Bentley), David (Susan), Douglas – deceased, Becky (Robert Hall), Bob, Greg (Kelley), and Paul (Christina), as well as several foster babies from Children’s Aid.  After Walter’s death in 1979, Mildred continued to raise the children on her own.  In June 1996, Mildred married Ron James, moved to Stouffville and gained three step children: Marilyn (Gordon Roach – deceased), Karen (Calvin Rae) and Lois (Charles Gingerich). When Ron passed away in 2012, Mildred moved to Parkview Village Apartments where she lived until moving to Markhaven LTC in 2020.

Predeceased by her parents, and siblings Florence Betz, and Harold and Carl Reesor, 2 husbands, 2 children and one grandchild, Mildred is survived by her sister-in-law Ruth Reesor (Carl), 5 children, 9 grandchildren, 21 great grandchildren, 3 step children, 5 step-grandchildren and 6 step great-grandchildren.  She loved God and her family, missions and serving others; and enjoyed cooking and baking, doing a wide variety of hand crafts and house designs, and her travels with Ron to 47 countries.

The funeral service will be held at Markham Missionary Church, 5438 Major Mackenzie Dr E, Markham, on Monday October 7, at 11:00 a.m. Following a reception after the funeral, burial will take place at Dickson Hill Cemetery, 74 Dickson Hill Rd, Markham, ON L3P 3J3.

Visitation will be held at Dixon-Garland Funeral Home, 66 Main Street North, Markham, on Sunday October 6, 2024 from 3 to 5 p.m.

If desired, memorial donations may be made to Missions at Markham Missionary Church.