Elsie Wills

It is with great sadness that the family of Elsie Wills (nee Goyman) announce her passing on Saturday, February 3, 2018 with family at her side. She was born in Sioux Lookout on August 17, 1934, where she lived until she moved to Thunder Bay at the age of 18 to attend the residential nursing program at St. Joseph’s Hospital. Shortly after graduation in 1955, she moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan where she began her nursing career. Upon her return to Thunder Bay, she met and married Joseph Wills in 1960. They started their life together in Schreiber, Ontario where they began raising their family of five. They moved their family to Thunder Bay in 1973. Elsie continued her nursing career back at St. Joseph’s Hospital, retiring in the early 1990’s. 

Elsie treasured her family and will always be remembered as a kind, gentle and loving wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She also loved many sports and exercise; playing baseball in her youth, curling with Joe in Schreiber, walking and playing in the OPP Bowling League in Thunder Bay. She was a great baseball fan, who regularly watched the Blue Jays and the Thunder Bay Whiskey Jacks. She and Joe really enjoyed travelling the world. She was a fabulous cook and gardener and enjoyed going to bingo. Everyone who enjoyed her wonderful meals and desserts will always remember them. She loved dancing and in her later years she was rarely seen without her Big Book of Word Searches. Together with Joe, Elsie was an avid community and church volunteer. She was always willing to give her time to all who needed her.

Elsie was predeceased by her loving husband Joseph and her youngest son, Jody, as well as her parents, Nikola and Agata Goyman, her sister Mary Legros and her brother John. She is survived by her children Sandra (Robert) Lanoix of Hearst, Mark (Leanne) of Winnipeg, Maureen (George Hanna), Joseph (Mary Lou) of Barry’s Bay, daughter-in-law, Lee-ann, as well as her sister Ann Slowski and nine grandchildren:
Jonathan, Andrea, Sarah, Katelynn, Kyla, Samantha, Greg, Amy, Abby, three great-grandchildren: Avery, Henry, Ainsley and many nieces and nephews. She will be sadly missed. 

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, February 10, 2018 at 1:30 pm in the Chapel of the Sargent & Son Funeral Home, 21 N. Court Street with Rev. Victor DeGagne presiding. A private interment will be held at a later date. Visitation for family and friends will be held Friday from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm in the Sargent & Son Funeral Home.


Elsie’s family is very grateful for all the kind caregivers over the last few years from Hilldale, Chartwell and particularly Hogarth during Elsie’s final weeks. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Society of Thunder Bay in Elsie’s memory. On-line condolences may be made at www.sargentandson.com.