Sonja Millette
1942 - 2026
With great sadness, the family of Sonja Millette (née States) shares that she passed away peacefully on Friday, May 1, 2026, at the age of 84, in the loving presence of family.
Sonja was a devoted mother to Lisa, Lucien Jr., Jacques, and Julianne; a good-humoured “Mother Millette” to her son-in-law Chris Pollard; and a fun-loving and deeply adored “Nanny” to her grandchildren Laura, Anna, Mary, Nathaniel, Adam, Becca, and Eva. She is also survived by her beloved sister Annette (Jim Scoville), sister-in-law Georgette Poliquin, and many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her husband of 61 years, Lucien; her parents, Alburn and Omega States; her stepfather, Richard Kloko; and her stepsister, Judi Kloko.
Born on February 15, 1942, in Battle Creek, Michigan, Sonja grew up in Hillsdale and trained as a nurse at Grace Hospital in Detroit, where she met and married her future husband. The couple moved to Canada and started their family in 1965. They eventually settled outside Edmonton, where Sonja somehow managed to raise four children and a menagerie of animals, run a busy household, do farm chores, and help manage her husband’s medical practice, while still finding the time and energy to arrange fun outings and holidays. In hindsight, her children marvel at how she accomplished it all. After retirement, Sonja and her husband moved to Eastern Ontario, closer to family in Ottawa and Michigan.
Sonja was beautiful, cheerful, gregarious, adventurous, and extraordinarily hard-working. She had a deep love of animals, a gift she passed on to all her children. She was also wonderfully musical, constantly humming around the house and singing in church and community choirs. Creative and fearless about trying new things, Sonja enthusiastically tackled sewing, painting, woodworking, and home renovation projects. When her grandchildren were little, Sonja was a tremendous support to her daughters, travelling to Ottawa and even Tokyo to help out. The grandchildren loved her as much as she loved them; time together was treasured and often included fun outings or spirited games of Uno and Bananagrams.
Food was one of Sonja’s great loves and her family remembers many delicious meals, not to mention frequent treats like homemade peanut butter fudge. She loved travelling with family members and visited many exotic destinations as well as places throughout North America. Always generous and helpful, she volunteered at the local charity thrift shop. Perhaps most fittingly of all, she became a proud member of the Red Hat Ladies, delighting in colourful outfits, laughter and outings with friends. Sonja’s beautiful smile, warmth and good humour ensured that she made friends wherever she went.
Health challenges over the past decade never diminished Sonja’s zest for life. She carried on with remarkable courage, grace, and uncomplaining good nature, continuing to draw people to her with her smile and the twinkle in her eyes. She will be remembered with deep love, gratitude, and admiration, and she will be profoundly missed.
A Funeral Mass will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 23, at St. Faustina Parish, 2571 Ottawa Regional Road 174, Cumberland, Ontario. A lunch reception will follow in the parish hall. Inurnment will take place at Ste-Croix Cemetery in Rockland. In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations to the St. Faustina New Church Building Fund. Arrangements are in the care of the Funeral Co-Operative of Ottawa.