Aunt Nan was a wonderful lady and will be missed by all who knew her.  Her husband Monty was my mother's brother.  My mother, Clora "Coba" B. Silveira, passed away July 13, 1988.  I have wonderful childhood memories of Uncle Monty and Aunt Nan's visits to our home in Stockton, California.  Those were great times!

My thoughts and prayers are with Aunt Nan's family at this most difficult time.  

Marlene Hicks

Mardi,
I am sorry for the loss of your grandma.  She sounds like a wonderful woman and I know you had a special bond.

I will never forget Nan's wonderful smile, she was truly one of God's saints and will be missed by many. You will all be in our prayers and thoughts and you go through this difficult time.

I remember Grandma's sweet laugh. She is now laughing and singing with the heavenly angels and we give praise to God.

Grandma was a very sweet and quiet person.  I never heard her say anything bad about anyone.  She always looked for the good in people.  She will be missed but not forgotten. Love, Your Grandaughter

I am so very blessed to have had such and sweet, kind hearted women in my life. I will continue to look back on all the great memories I have with her. Love always, 
your great grandaughter

a correction in my message - it should say, she would not cook the "worms" I carried in my pocket.

Granma Mills was truly a Godly woman.  She walked with him every day of her life and I know that there is great rejoicing in heaven as she is greeted by her Lord and her family that went before her.  Thou shall come to thy grave in a full age, like as a shock of corn cometh in his season.  Job 5:26
Mardi Griffith, Grandaughter (Dorothy's daughter), Cambridge, IA

We were so sad to hear of your loss. Nan was a wonderful lady. We will be praying for the family.

What do I remember most about Great-Grandma Mills?  I remember her telling me every single time we'd see her "I love you hon" in that sweet, quiet voice of hers.  You had to listen close to hear her at times but you never had to strain to feel her love.  Grandma you are loved and will be missed!

Linda (Dunn) Jones

A Grandmother's Love is Forever and Grandma loved us all unconditionally, from the day we were born until the day she went home to be with the Lord.  She never judged any of us.  She might go tsk tsk tsk occasionally but loved us anyway.

Having spent the first 5 years of my life living with Grandma and Granddaddy I have many memories.  I understand she would not cook the works I carried in my pocket.  I remember the big weeping willow tree in the front yard.  I can still hear her singing gospel hymns as she did her work around the house. She made homemade potato chips, that was probably the first time I had potato chips.

I also remember playing with all the cousins at Grandma's and yes, I remember "Get the Holy Ghost". Those were fun times.

You never went to her house that she did not ask if you wanted something to eat.  If she knew you were coming there was always food of some kind ready to eat.  When we left her house we always had a "snack" to take with us.  You could not leave if you did not have something.

Anytime we made a trip back to Des Moines we always made time to stop and see Grandma.  She loved it when we would have some of our grandchildren with us.  She loved watching the kids and listening to the girls sing.

I remember Mom telling me once when she was at Grandma's, they were sitting talking when Mom noticed something on the floor by Grandma's chair. Mom asked her if that was her teeth on the floor and Grandma said, "I wondered where they went".  They both had a good laugh.

Several times visiting her at the Nursing home we would play checkers with her.  You had to watch her because she liked to cheat, when we said something she got that look on her face, uh oh, you caught me and would laugh.  I think she did it on purpose to see if we were really paying attention. She really did play a mean game of checkers.

One day we walked into her room at the nursing home and the staff had fixed her hair in a pony tail on top of her head.  She was sitting on the edge of the bed, talking on the phone.  We told her she looked like a teenager.  She thought that was pretty cool. I will never forget the smile on her face that day.

Once when we were back, she was having a bad night so I sat in the chair next to her bed all night.  She kept reaching for something in the air.  I asked her what she saw, she told me it was a beautiful little girl.  I always thought she was seeing Christine and now she is with Christine and they are having a joyous reunion.

She loved the old time gospel hymns. It was fun to sit and sing with her. She liked the simple songs also, The BIBLE, Jesus Loves Me, This Little Light of Mine. I will always think of her when I hear these songs.

She was a very kind and loving grandmother. We will absolutely miss having her in our lives but we know she is in a better place, singing with the heavenly choir and walking the streets of Gold.  I can only imagine the smile on her face when the one she loved the most, the Lord, met her at the pearly gates.  She is now our Guardian Angel.

I Love you Grandma and will always miss you but look forward to seeing you very soon.

We will miss her kind, loving presence here on earth but know she is smiling and happy watching from above.
Nicole Weidman, Great-granddaughter

So many memories, it's hard to begin.  I chuckle when I think of her sitting in my living room, mesmerized, watching a Shirley Temple movie, with chocolate all over her face.  We had "interviewed" her once, and asked her if she had any regrets or anything on her bucket list.  She wanted to see a Shirley Temple movie.  We rented one and watched it after Aileen's shower.  

In our "interview", I learned some things I didn't know before.  That she and Monty had stood on different county lines to get married.  That all her children had been born at home, except Nancy.  We asked her if that didn't hurt.  She laughed and said "Yes".  How to get to school, her Dad had to harness the wagon, which is one of the reasons she didn't go as far as she like.  When Monty was so sick and almost died during an ice and snow storm.  Many more...

She was a caregiver.  How many kids/grandkids stayed there over the years?  How many meals did she cook in that little kitchen?  Did you ever hear her complain?  How tenderly she cared for Christine.

I still have a scar on my foot, which I cut while playing in the creek.  

Playing at her house with cousins by the dozens.  Any other grandkids remember "Get the Holy Ghost"?

Always needing a snack before you left her house-usually a saltine cracker.

How good her oatmeal tasted.  When I was older, I realized it was because it was the real stuff, with butter, sugar and cream.  Yum!

How proud she was of each of her family members.  

She loved the old hymns.  When we visited her at Parkridge, we would go into the dining area.  I would play the piano and my sisters and daughters would sing.  Grandma, and other of the residents, always joined in.  

We love you, Grandma.

Cheryl Lowe, her granddaughter, and daughter of Bonnie.

Nan was a wonderful saint of God.  We are praying for all of you in your time of loss.

So many memories, hard to say.  I do chuckle when I remember her sitting in my living room, mesmerized, watching a Shirley Temple movie, with chocolate on her face.  When we "interviewed" her once, we ask her if she had any regrets or anything she hadn't done that she would like to do.  She said she had never seen a Shirley Temple movie.  So after Aileen's shower, we had a movie rented for everyone to watch.  She was so tickled.

Of course, I remember the times playing at her house with cousins by the dozens.  When I left, I always had to have a snack (usually saltine crackers) to take with me.  

Oatmeal at her house tasted so good.  When I was older I realized it was because it was the real thing, with butter and cream.  Yum.  How did so many meals get fixed in such a small kitchen - no microwave, no convenience foods?

Grandma was a caregiver.  I remember her caring for Christine with such patience and gentleness.  How many grandchildren lived/stayed with her over the years?  Did anyone ever hear her complain?  

I remember that she taught me how to do a crochet chain stitch.  I sat for hours one day making a chain about 10 feet long.

I remember playing in the creek and I cut the top of my foot on a rock.  I still have the scar.  

She loved the old hymns.  When we would visit her at Parkridge (never enough times, I realize now), we would go into the dining area.  I would play the piano, and my sisters would sing.  Grandma (and many other residents) would sing along with us.  

When we interviewed her, she told us things I had never heard before.  How she and Monty stood on either side of the county line to get married.  Giving birth to all her children at home, except Nancy.  We asked her if it hurt, and she laughed and said "Yes".  Talking about the time Monty was so sick during an ice and snow storm, and almost died.  About how to go to school, her Dad had to harness the wagon, and that was one of the reasons she didn't go further in school.  (Yet, she was an knowledgable woman, who read and kept up with politics).  

Do any other cousins remember playing "Get the Holy Ghost"?  :)

How proud she was of each and everyone of her family.  How she prayed for all of us, never judged or talked badly.  

We all love you Grandma.

Cheryl Lowe, Grandaughter,  Daughter of Bonnie.

I remember when she came to church on her 100th birthday. The whole congregation sang happy birthday to her! She was a sweet and lovely woman of God. I am sorry you are without her now, All of you will be in my thoughts and prayers.

"Nan was a wonderful saint of God.  Praying for all of the family at this time."  Steve and Lorraine Hansen

She was the kind of Grandma everyone should have the priviledge of knowing. Love you and Miss you. Janet (Mills) Eden

We are so sorry for your loss. You are all in our thoughts and prayers.

                                                    Don & Terri Carroll and Family

OBITUARY

Nan Mills

May 9, 1905 – January 28, 2011

McLaren’s Resthaven Chapel & Mortuary & Resthaven Cemetery

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