Cynthia Mills-Hughes, 84, of Mississauga, Ontario, has passed away after a brief but very brave battle with cancer.

She is greatly missed by her family: her sister Jennifer and family; sons David (Janet) and Stephen (Maggie/Edana), and five beloved grandchildren: Griffin, Evan, Fiona, Cameron, and Simon. Also remembering her is her cousin Anne (Digby) Sargeant of Brantford, Ontario, Sheila (Robert) Barrett of Llandudno, Wales, and Ernie’s sister and brother-in-law, Marion and Arthur Spruce and their family, of Adelaide, Australia.

She now has joined her great love, late husband Ernie; her parents James and Ella; brother-in-law George; and her maternal grandparents Hannah and Harry, who she lived with briefly as a child and loved dearly; and her aunts Doris and Hilda, who she always spoke of fondly. She also is no doubt having a cup of tea somewhere with her late, very dear friends Jill Amor and Eva Stolte.

She was born on January 7, 1940 at her home at 136 Jeffcock Road, Wolverhampton, England. Together with her sister Jen (born 1944) and her parents, she had a happy childhood. The family emigrated to Canada in 1947, and while their stay here was less than a year — her dad was homesick so they returned to England in 1948 — the experience would spark a love of Canada in Cynthia that would bring her back again in 1972.

In that time, she finished school and started working — first in a Wolverhampton department store, Beatties, and then in an accounting role at a company called Tarmac. Then life changed when she met Ernie. It was a local dance; she was 15 and he was 18. Sparks flew, and on May 16, 1959, she married the love of her life, Albert Ernest Mills-Hughes. Older son David was born a year later and younger son Stephen was born in 1964. Eventually buying their first home in Kingswinford, then their second home in Stourbridge, Cynthia and Ernie decided to emigrate to Canada in 1972.

In Mississauga, they would raise Dave and Steve, watch them get married, and see the arrival of their five grandchildren. Cynthia adored her grandchildren, and spent any time she could with them. When she wasn’t with her family, she could be found in the garden (she was an outstanding gardener, with two very green thumbs), or with her beloved dogs or cats (she was a passionate animal lover). You might also catch her watching the Jays or Raptors—she loved sports, and was very athletic during her life, playing everything from netball (hockey) to tennis. She also travelled back to England regularly to see her sister Jen, brother-in-law George, niece Julie and nephew Mark (Varya), and the many friends and relations in England and Wales who she kept in touch with throughout her life.

She is missed terribly and will always be much loved not only by her family, but by former neighbours, and newer neighbours like her kind friends Pam and Graham at Eagle Ridge.

Her funeral, followed by a reception, will take place Wednesday, September 18, 2024 at 11:00 am at the Church of St. Bride Anglican Church, 1516 Clarkson Road North, Mississauga -

LIVESTREAM Funeral Service Details
https://www.churchofstbride.com/Groups/381259/Services_Sermons.aspx

Interment will follow at Springcreek Cemetery, 1390 Clarkson Road North, Mississauga, ON L5J 2W5.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Carlo Fidani Regional Cancer Centre at Credit Valley Hospital.