Mildred Barbara MacNeil

Mildred (Mackley) MacNeil
Sydney

Mildred Barbara MacNeil age 86, of Lorne St., Sydney, died peacefully on August 19, 2014 in Sydney, Nova Scotia, surrounded by loving family members at the Cape Breton Regional Hospital, Sydney.
She was the daughter of the late Raymond G. and Mary "Mamie"( Bryden) Mackley formerly of Whitney Avenue in Sydney.

She attended Holy Angels Convent in Sydney and St. Joseph's Catholic High School in Mabou. Mrs. MacNeil was a 1948 graduate of the Nova Scotia Teachers College. As a teacher, she taught elementary school children in Westmount, St. Augustine's in Sydney Reserve and Heatherton during a twenty year teaching career.

In retirement, Mrs. MacNeil also received a certificate in Religious Studies in Catholic Theology from UCCB (now Cape Breton University).

She married Lawrence Clinton MacNeil and together they had fourteen children, including nine sons and five daughters. Mrs. MacNeil was also a member of the St. Theresa's Catholic Women's League (CWL) and a Eucharistic Minister for many years. She also was an associate lay sister with the Order of Notre Dame since 1991, participating in educational sessions and prayer meetings.

She is survived by her children and their respective spouses: Clinton (Diane), Ottawa, ON; Barbara (Rick) Alexander , Orrington, ME; Marian (Emile) Drillon ,Thomaston, CT; Kenneth (Bernadette), Lower Sackville; Roderick (Mary Jane), Halifax; Conrad (Maria), Halifax; Paul (Mary Jane née Walker), Halifax; Normand (Mary Irene), Ontario; Robert (Tammy), Ottawa, ON; Rayelene (Mark) Spear, Port Hawkesbury; Mary D. (Dennis) Mollons, Ontario; Elizabeth "Lisa" (Robert) Hartigan , Bedford; Walter MacNeil, Sydney and Lloyd (Debra), Milton, MA.

She is also survived by twenty-six grandchildren, of whom twenty are in Canada and six are in the United States. The grandchildren groupings include Tiffany (née Jones) Parker, Thomas and David Jones; Marian (née Snow) Stevens, Raymond and Allison Snow; Kevin; Joseph; Jennifer and Logan; Alexander and William; Joseph, Laura and Ryan; Julia and Jenna; Mark and Michael Spear; Matthew, Steven and Gregory Mollons; Connor and Liam Hartigan; Tyler and Emily.
She is also survived by her first great-grandchild Declan Stevens and in-laws of the grandchildren including Marian "MA" Stevens' husband Ryan; Tiffany Parker's husband Adam and David Jones' wife Kathryn "Katy".

Mrs. MacNeil is survived by her brother, John Mackley (Genevieve) of Sydney and sister Pauline (Pius) Campbell of Iona and many nieces and nephews across Canada as well as good friends, wonderful neighbours and many former students who made her proud to be a teacher.
Survivors also include her husband's sisters: Marguerite (Joseph) Ryan, Shenacadie and Marie (late Stephen) MacKinnon, Boston, Mass.

She was predeceased by her husband L.Clinton MacNeil and by siblings and their spouses: Carrie Stockley (Henry), Dorothy Dobranski (Lawrence), Helen Goucher (John), Reginald Mackley (Claire), Jean McInnis (Charles), Rayelene Mackley and an infant brother, Raymond Mackley.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated by Fr. James W. Oliver on Friday, August 22, 2014 at 10:00 a.m. in St. Theresa's Church, Whitney Avenue, Sydney, B1P 6H2. Visiting hours with all the family will be held on Thursday, August 21, 2014 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at T.W. Curry Parkview Chapel, 755 George St, Sydney, NS, B1P 1L4. Burial will be in Resurrection Cemetery in Sydney Forks.
Private condolences may be sent to The MacNeil Family online through T.W. Curry Park View Chapel's website for Mildred at www.twcurry.com.