Jean B Miller

Jean died peacefully at home on February 24, 2012 in the care of her family and friends.

She was born November 23, 1913 in Harvey, Illinois to William H. Almy and Florence Baird Almy. In 1935 she graduated from the University of Illinois with a degree in Bacteriology, with high honors and Phi Beta Kappa. After graduation, she taught General Science at Georgetown High School, (Illinois). While at University, she met William A. Miller, whom she married on September 9, 1936 in Georgetown, Illinois. After living in various locations, the couple retired to Boulder in 1969.

Her volunteer work spanned many years. In Manhattan, Kansas, she was a life member of the PTA, a Girl Scout leader for fifteen years, and spent many years as a trainer for Scout Leaders in Outdoor Skills. In Boulder, she was the reservation coordinator for Friday Party Bridge at the West Senior Center for a number of years. A member of First United Methodist Church since 1970, she helped with meals at the church, and for at least 25 years she was part of the group that ran the Bargain Days. As a friend recently said, “She was a recycler before recycling was a concept.”

She was a person of many interests: gardening, sewing, music (piano and small organ), cooking, camping, fishing, African violets, poetry, and birds and their songs (was a member of the Boulder Bird Club, and was able to recognize over a 100 birds). She was on bowling teams in Manhattan, Kansas and Boulder for over 30 years. She joined the Arapahoe Chapter of DAR in Boulder in 2008 with two ancestors, Baird and Gray. She and her husband enjoyed traveling for many years and she continued to travel for ten years after his death.

She was preceded in death by her husband in 1991, son Bruce Miller, daughter Kathryn Phillips, her sister Lois Goodmiller, and brother Gordon Almy.

Survivors include her brother Robert Almy, Sr. of Cayuga, Indiana; two nephews, four nieces; one daughter, Rae Irene Miller (Labe Kopelov), of Bernalillo, NM; daughter-in-law Terri (Rob) Sherwood of Denver, and six grandchildren: Lico Miller, Karl Conklin, Matt Conklin, David Miller, Ruby Miller-Kopelov, and Kino Miller-Kopelov.

A memorial service will be held on Friday March 2, at the First United Methodist Church of Boulder at 2:00 PM.

Many thanks to the folks of HospiceCare of Boulder and Broomfield Counties, and her many friends, neighbors, and helpers who visited, brought favorite food, flowers, conversation, and support to her during her last months, helping to make them full and happy.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to First United Methodist Church Memorial Fund, 1421 Spruce St. Boulder, Colorado 80302.