Memorable Manitobans: James Thomas Mills (1914-1997)

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James Thomas Mills
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Merchant, realtor, MLA (1962-1966).

Born at Winnipeg on 22 June 1914, son of Thomas Foster Mills and Mary Kearns, he was educated at the Immaculate Conception School and St. Paul’s High School. During the Second World War, he served in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. From 1947, he operated a chain of clothing stores (House of Mark Mills Ladies Wear) until he moved to Victoria, British Columbia in 1968. There he became a real estate agent while managing a Mary Constance Ladies Wear store.

On 20 June 1939, he married Eleanor Ethel Dearden (?-?) and they had three children. He served as a Winnipeg city councillor, President of the Greater Winnipeg Election Committee, and a member of the Manitoba Legislature (elected by four votes in 1962, defeated in 1966). He was a member of the Rotary Club, Knights of Columbus, Toastmasters International, Progressive Conservative Association of Manitoba, and Catholic church.

He died at Victoria, British Columbia on 15 February 1997.

Sources:

Marriage registration [Thomas Foster Mills, Mary Shirley McNamee], Manitoba Vital Statistics.

Marriage registration [James Thomas Mills, Eleanor Ethel Dearden], Manitoba Vital Statistics.

The Canadian Parliamentary Guide 1965, Internet Archive.

Death registration, British Columbia Vital Statistics.

Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 19 February 1997, page 33.

We thank Oliver Bernuetz (Legislative Library of Manitoba) for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 17 November 2023

Memorable Manitobans

Memorable Manitobans

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