Verna Agnes McMillan

Verna Agnes McMillan
(nee Jurkowski), 91

Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada on March 22, 1921. She married Raymond G. McMillan on September 7, 1946. Verna went to be with the Lord at 1:00 P.M. on November 27, 2012. Survived by her husband, Raymond; children, Leslie (Sandra), Donald, Eileen, and Lawrence (Pamela); grandchildren, Jeremy (Christine), Heather (Evan), Catherine, Kirsten (Tim), Matthew, Karen, Scott, Ashley, and Keith; great-grandchildren, Brieanna, Kayla, Ethan, and Asher; Brother Stanley (Elsie), sisters, Cecilia and Louise (Marcel); and sisters-in-law, Sophie and Lorraine. Predeceased by her sister, Karoline, brothers, Louis and Eddie, daughter-in-law, Geri, brothers-in-law, Andrew, Joseph and Stephen, and sisters-in-law, Theresa, Clare, and Teresa. Christened Valerie Jurkowski, the third of seven children born to hard-working Polish immigrants, Joseph and Kazimiera Jurkowski, she was enrolled in school as "Verna" by her older sister, Karoline, who preferred that name, and Verna she was thereafter. In an age when family was held in greater esteem than today, Verna's mother had her stay home from school for a year when she was 15 so that she could help with the raising of her newborn sister, Louise. This resulted in an exceptional lifelong bonding between the two sisters, quite unusual for siblings so separated by age and, later, distance. It also most certainly contributed to the extraordinary mothering skills that she so skillfully and lovingly wielded throughout her long life. Strengthened by the experience, Verna returned to school the following year, excelled, graduated, continued on to business school, and eventually took a government job in support of the war effort in the early 1940's. During this time, Verna met her future sisters-in-law, Theresa and Clare, who asked her to pray for their brother, Ray, who was imprisoned in a German POW camp after his bomber had been shot down over Alsace-Lorraine in 1944. Her prayers were answered and they married about one year after Ray's repatriation. They moved to Southern California in April, 1953, and the next year purchased a new home in Long Beach where they raised their four children. Verna was a stay-at-home mom who later worked for Long Beach Schools when her children were older, retiring in the 1980's. She spent her retirement traveling, scrupulously tending her garden, cultivating her many friendships, hosting scrumptious dinners for family and friends, taking joy in her family, doting on her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and worshiping her God. Verna lived to a ripe old age of 91 years, 8 months, and 5 days. She passed quietly in her sleep at home and thankfully was not in any physical pain. Even though we miss her terribly, we who she left behind are happy for her in the blessed hope that she is now with the Lord in Heaven. Verna, you have blessed everyone you have reached your hands and heart out to. We will always hold you in our hearts and pray your touch will always be upon our own hands, that they also may reach out to the world in love as yours have. Viewing/Rosary: 5PM to 8PM Tuesday, December 4, 2012. Funeral: 11AM Wednesday, December 5, 2012, both services will be held at: All Souls Mortuary, 4400 Cherry Ave, Long Beach, CA, Please sign the guest book at www.presstelegram.com/obituaries.