Friday, February 7th, 2025

Paul Millsap wasn’t seen in town that often but Creemore was in his mind and in his heart.

Paul spent most of his time on the farm, just south of Creemore, at Mount Zion.

Even on his last day, Paul was working on the farm even though he didn’t feel well, said his wife Gayle Millsap.

She said, he felt like he had a cold and was having trouble breathing but never complained of pain.

He died of a massive heart attack on June 28 at the age of 74.

“Even that day, I came home and he’d been out working with the boys,” said Gayle. He wasn’t feeling well but he ate and had a rest and went back out to work.

When he came back in, his breathing was even more laboured so they headed for the hospital. He was taken to Southlake Regional Health Centre in Newmarket.

“They tried but the damage was too severe, they couldn’t help,” said Gayle. “They tried but he didn’t make it through the night.”

Paul was a lifelong resident of the area, the fourth generation of Millsaps to farm his land. The first Millsaps came to Canada from Ireland in 1845 and built the house where Paul lived with Gayle and raised four children – John, Jennifer (Beattie), Brett and Andrew.

Paul, with his gentle smile, was a hard working family man who was boisterous and friendly.

He operated a 200-acre beef farm, with his son eldest son John.

“Of course his other sons come back and help,” said Gayle. “When Dad calls, they come back. Everybody has a little finger in this pie.”

Paul shared farming equipment with his late brother Glenn. They each had their own land next to each other and they had their own cattle but they shared the big, expensive machinery and work the land together,” said Gayle. They shared the work and the costs down the middle.

“It was basically a 50-50 operation and when his brother passed away, Glenn’s son David became what you might call Paul’s working partner when he took over for his dad. Even though the guys had their own farms and their own businesses, they still worked together as a family… That’s kind of how the Millsaps work. That’s the condition and the tradition they upheld.”

Gayle said the arrangement allowed them to take a few holidays in recent years.

She said although her husband was happiest at home. He was happy to have had the chance to travel to his ancestral home of Ireland.

In the winter, when not on the farm, Paul enjoyed curling at the Creemore club. He curled one or two nights per week.

In fact, Paul met his wife at the curling club. They were married almost 43 years.

“I don’t know if I would have met him any other way but when I came to Creemore I took up curling and that’s how I met my husband,” said Gayle.

She said during their marriage, Paul went every year to the Quebec International Bonspiel to curl for a week.

“He met numerous friends and personalities and really enjoyed his week in Quebec City, curling,” said Gayle.

Paul was always keeping an eye on Creemore from up the hill.

“People always laugh because he didn’t come in to Creemore very often but he was always concerned about Creemore,” said Gayle.

He was engaged from a distance, and had a lot of ideas and opinions about Creemore.

“He didn’t want to be on committees but he was concerned about his town. He’d go once a year to the Copper Kettle Festival and meet his friends and tour the town to see what was new and then he’d go back home again,” said Gayle.

More frequently in recent years, he would also come in to town to watch his grandson Luke play hockey.

“He was so proud of his grandchildren, his children too but he really enjoyed his grandchildren,” said Gayle. There are six grandchildren in total, including Grace, Libby, Luke, Kaylan, Sloan and Avery. He is also survived by his sister Donna Lowe and brother Dennis.

Family and friends gathered for the funeral July 2 at St. John’s United Church and burial at Creemore Union Cemetery.

Donations can be made in Paul’s memory to the Collingwood General and Marine Hospital or Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *