Bertha Marie Gillis

GILLIS Bertha Marie July 2nd, 1925 – July 19th, 2019 A life well lived, A faithful soul now entering the gates of Heaven, A precious Aunt in arms of our Lord. Bertha Marie Gillis born in Long Harbour, NL, the daughter of the late Edward & Elizabeth (nee Griffiths) Hammond; passed at the age of 94 on July 19th, 2019 at the Dr. Charles L. LeGrow Health Centre Long Term Care Unit in Port aux Basques, NL with her loving family by her side. Aunt Bert started her married life with Alf (Gillis) in Codroy Valley, on January 15th, 1952. A teacher, a respected business woman, community volunteer, and a pillar of her family. Aunt Bert was an Aunt by label, but a mother and grandmother by choice to Beverly Hicks and her daughter Samantha (Chris); Belinda (Lew) Hewlin and their daughter Hannah; Paula (Ed) Buckle and their daughters Jillian and Tara (Iain); Gary (Paula) Hammond and their daughter Emily and son Luke (Kristen) and great-great nephew Tucker Leo. She also leaves to mourn many nieces and nephews throughout Canada and the United States. Aunt Bert will be sadly missed by sister Julia Belmer; sisters-in-law Celine Hammond, Gert Gillis and family plus her life time friends Lucy Downey and Phil Downey. She was predeceased by her loving husband Alfred Gillis; Siblings Mary (Gerd) Bruce, Patrick (Violet) Hammond, Elizabeth (John) Brown, Thomas Hammond and Leo (Rose) Hammond; as well as, many sisters and brothers-in-law from the Gillis family. We the family want to pay special tribute to our sister Beverly Hicks for her exceptional care and devotion given to Aunt Bert. The family received friends and family at St. Ann’s Roman Catholic Parish in Upper Ferry on Monday, July 22nd from 2-4 and 7-9 pm with a wake service beginning at 7 pm. The mass of Christian Burial took place on Tuesday, July 23rd at 11am officiated by Father Lee Lainey, interment followed at Mount St. Thomas Cemetery, Great Codroy. Flowers are graciously accepted and donations in memory of Aunt Bert may be made to the Dr. Charles L. LeGrow Long Term Care Recreation Program and/or the Mount St. Thomas Cemetery Fund. It broke our hearts to lose you, but you never went alone, for part of us went with you the day God took you home.