Mildred "Millie" T. Sherer

Mildred “Millie” T. Sherer, beloved mother, sister and aunt passed away on July 13, 2017, in Lynden, Washington, she was surrounded by people who loved her. She was born on June 16,1935 in Cambridge, Wisconsin to Berge and Ella Televik.

Millie was an elegant lady known for her sweet smile, kind and compassionate heart and adventurous spirit. She loved to have fun. She accepted people for who they were and never had a bad thing to say about anybody.

She is preceded in death by her husband Clinton, sister Emma Brazeau, brothers Kenneth and Raynard. She is survived by her sons Jeffrey (Shelly) of Choteau, Montana, Timothy (Wilma) of Lynden, Washington and Steven of Sedro Woolley, Washington, as well as sisters Bernice Kreisler of Madison, Wisconsin, Mary Rue of Rockdale, Wisconsin, Sue (Amiel) Hepp, of Algoma, Wisconsin, goddaughter Kari (Rodd) Eggert, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Millie grew up on a farm in Cambridge. She often spoke about those early years growing up in rural Wisconsin. She loved her family and talked about helping in the tobacco fields, enjoying the ice-cream that her mom and dad brought back from town on Saturday nights. She shared about the time her dad brought the sleigh to school on a snowy day to bring the children back home, and how he saved her life by picking her up and taking her to the hospital when the dog bite she had received became infected.

As a student of Cambridge High School, she was named as an honor roll student and member of the National Honor Society. Millie was involved in numerous school clubs including Junior Red Cross, Camera, Home Ec, Dramatics, and Librarian’s clubs. She was president of the Press Club, class treasurer, and had the role of Literary on the school newspaper. In addition, she was a member of several choirs, as well as band, and was involved in Girl’s Athletic Association. Friends who signed her year book talked about her plans for a trip to New York.

Following high school, Millie’s sense of adventure brought her to New York City. She talked about that trip, laughed when she shared that she had been unable to find the Empire State Building and when she asked someone for directions, they told her to look up, she was right under it. Another adventure was a trip across the western United States with her girlfriends. They drove a 1956 Chevrolet visiting Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Salt Lake City and Yellowstone, among other cities and sites along the way. She saw the Pacific Ocean for the first time. Following that journey she took her first airplane flight down to Miami and later travelled to Chicago.

Millie’s travels eventually took her to Denver, Colorado. She moved there with a friend and at first had a job as a hostess in a restaurant. She met the love of her life, Clinton. With a gleam in his eye, Clint told the story of how he won Millie's heart. He knew he found a treasure. They married on May 27, 1961. She then worked in the employee relations department of the Mobil Oil Company. After their sons were born, a promotion brought them to Seattle. They made their home in Kirkland for many years.

She spent the next stage of her life as a traditional homemaker. She was a devoted, caring mother and wife. Millie enjoyed the role of mother, was involved in her sons’ schools, planned special birthday celebrations, took her boys to the park to practice baseball. She baked themed birthday cakes to match her boys’ interests. One Christmas, after a snowfall, they used large boots to make a “Santa” path from the outside to the tree. She always said you have to make the best of things. That positive attitude likely helped her when she took her boys on a train trip across the country to visit her Wisconsin family. Always a good sport, she cleaned and cooked the fish they caught on camping trips. She enjoyed exercise and staying fit and was also an avid bowler.

When her sons were older, Millie returned to the workforce with a job at Lake Washington Technical College in Kirkland, as an office manager in the Admissions and Career Guidance Department. She often spoke of how much she enjoyed working with the students and how much she liked her coworkers. It was said she had the biggest, most compassionate heart. One can understand why the students liked her and why she found that work so rewarding. That compassionate heart led her to volunteer. She helped people that needed her. She visited a nursing home on a regular basis providing support.

When Clint retired, she also retired. They were able to spend a few years doing the things they loved. They went on camping trips, went to Hawaii, visited with friends and family out of state. Millie expanded and worked on her garden to create a work of art. It became her passion. She loved to find unique plants to add to her garden, and to create small whimsical spaces within the garden. She sewed, painted, did crafts. She took courses in calligraphy and landscape design. She enjoyed Seattle Mariners baseball.

When Millie was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, her greatest challenge began. Clint cared for her in her home as long as he could. When it was no longer possible for Millie to stay at home, she moved to Lynden, and eventually made her home at the Christian Health Care Center. She continued to demonstrate a kind heart and many residents and visitors commented on her big smile.

Millie, we love you and we miss you and your sweet smile. You were a very special lady.

Millie’s funeral service was held on Saturday, July 22, 2017. Please visit www.floralhillslynnwood.com to leave your condolences on Millie’s online guestbook.