Mildred Jean (Workman) Paques

Millie (mom) passed away unexpectedly on Sunday, December 11,2022, just short of her 89th birthday. Even given her advanced age, her passing was unexpected because we thought (hoped) she would live forever. Up until the end she enjoyed life, and her mind was as sharp as a tack. She greatly enjoyed bossing us around, analyzing the meaning of life, getting into everyone's business, and planning every holiday detail down to the icing on the cut-out cookies. She was famously frugal (cheap) and saved everything just in case we may need it. Her things "saved for a rainy day" are too impressive to list, but I can say we won't have to buy staples, notepads, flower vases, "slightly flawed" pantyhose, potassium chloride, or floss for the rest of our lives. What she did save for us, for which we will forever be grateful, is the memory of her kind heart, sharp wit, dry sense of humor, and beautiful smile.

Although frugal (cheap), she was boundlessly generous in her ability to calm our hurts and show us the way. She was Registered Nurse from the age of 21 until she retired at the age of 67. At the time of her retirement, she specialized as an Oncology Nurse and was awarded "Pride Nurse of the Year." She raised five very loud, boisterous children in addition to a very loud, boisterous husband, to whom she was married for 57 years until his passing. Somehow, regardless of the racket we made, she managed to allow us to grow into ourselves, while ensuring we carried with us the essential ethics required to become kind, honest human beings.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Arthur Paques; and her eldest daughter, Teri, also a Registered Nurse. She is also preceded by her sisters, Barbra and Phillis; brother, Jack; and nephew, Mark. She leaves behind four children, Diana (DeeDee), Patty, and twins, Jim and John; four grandchildren, Kyle, Lyndsey, Alexandra (Alex), and Emily; eight great-grandchildren, Abigail (Abby), Nora, Siobhan (Bonnie), Lexie, Spencer, Lynn, Decklin, and Darryl; nieces, Sharon and Suzette; nephew, Matt; son-in-law, Raul; daughters-in-law, Rebecca (Becca) and Brenda; and finally, brother, Mike Workman, whom mom adored.

The deep loss we feel by her passing speaks volumes towards what an incredible person, mom, sister, aunt, grandmother, great-grandmother, and wife she was. As mom requested, there will not be a service. To quote her, "If they didn't come see me while I was alive, what's the rush now that I'm dead?" Did I mention that she was also a very practical woman?

Come spring, we will take her ashes to Mount Vernon, Ohio, her hometown, to be placed with her husband Art and daughter Teri.