On July 28th, 2021, at the age of 94, Mildred “Millie” Joyce Clemon Cruzat – History Maker, dancer, model, artist mother, and wife – made her transition. She was a woman of her time and ahead of her time, an outspoken woman who kept her own counsel. Committed to the enrichment and empowerment of all people and her people, Millie was a champion of and friend to anyone living on the downside of advantage or challenged with the adversities of everyday life. She peacefully transitioned, enveloped in the love of her children and surrounded by those who cherished her. Millie was resolute in the life paths she chose to explore, determined to be her “authentic self” since age eleven. Throughout her life, she made bold choices with a voice that embodied female empowerment and social activism. Millie’s altruism and unfettering bravery in her pursuit of uplifting the Black community served as an inspiration to many. A formidable class act in every sense of the word, she taught her children, grandchildren, and others the importance of integrity and character. Millie exemplified these virtues by living each day in joy, her vibrant and energetic personality never going unnoticed. A tour de force, born in Detroit, MI, she became a lifelong Chicagoan upon her marriage to the love of her life Dr. Edward “Teddy” P. Cruzat. Born from humble beginnings to parents Sevar Clemon and Florence Richardson Clemon on February 17th, 1927, Millie was the third of four daughters. Millie credits her older sister MaryAnn with teaching her the fundamentals of ballet as well as inspiring her to pursue a career as a dancer! Bella, “the little mother,” and the second oldest, introduced Millie to her life partner, Ted. Sevara, the youngest sister, shared a dancing career with Millie in New York. They were a close-knit family and were known to friends as “those Clemon Sisters.” After completing two years at Highland Park Junior College in Detroit, Mildred embarked on a quest to New York City in pursuit of a career as a professional dancer. Supporting herself working as a sales associate at Bloomingdale’s by day, she attended dance classes at night at the American School of Ballet at Carnegie Hall. Millie eventually landed a role in several productions – including Larry Steele’s “Shuffle Along” and “Smart Affairs” and Spider Burkes’ Television Show – performing with the likes of Brock Peters, Lena Horn, and Harry Belafonte. Becoming a self sufficient woman, she actively practiced and perfected the attributes of wisdom, discernment, and frugality.