Margaret L'Engle Miller

Margaret Lucile L’Engle Miller, 81,passed away peacefully on March 23, 2024. She is predeceased by her parents, Frank Fatio L’Engle and Wilma Coleman L’Engle, her husband Theodore Norman Miller, and sister-by-choice, Joan Gelbman Fink. Margaret leaves behind her children, Frank Louis Miller (Eve) and Caroline Rebecca (Robert) Smilowitz, her grandchildren Alex Miller, Ben Miller, Eli Marks, Josh Miller, and Gigi Marks, siblings Wilma, Claudia and Frank, and countless cousins, nieces, and nephews. Justin Smilowitz, Susan Muir, Pam Barnett and Sarah Sauvigne round out the list of those she held closest to her heart.

Born January 5, 1943, Margaret grew up in Jacksonville’s Southside and attended Hendricks Elementary School and Landon High School. She was confirmed at Congregation Ahavath Chesed and briefly attended the University of Florida. As a young woman, Margaret “ran away from Jacksonville” with her friend Ruthie, making her way to windy Chicago and eventually Washington DC. The tales she told of her adventures during that time of her life are both funny and sweet – and could conjure up images of Rhoda and Mary, Laverne and Shirley, or perhaps even Lucy and Ethel.

In the early 60’s, mutual friends introduced Margaret to an older “Yankee” – so enamored with the southern belle that he proposed after their 3rd date. Margaret initially demurred, but after some time and courting, married Ted on November 28, 1964 – though she famously only agreed to stay married for 39 years. Ted passed away five years into an indeterminate extension, no doubt negotiated as their entire marriage had been—-with love and a deep bond apparent to all who knew them.

Margaret and Ted eventually settled in suburban New Jersey, where they raised their two children. Margaret was the “glue” of the neighborhood. She was described by a neighbor as the one who would always offer to babysit, cook, help, host, schlep or serve anyone who needed a helping hand. She took children under her wing, she provided a loving respite to nieces, nephews, friends, and strangers without hesitation. She had a love of tradition, of entertaining and cooking, and the door was never closed to someone needing a meal and a talk.

As the children got older, Margaret began working as a sales clerk at a local paint and décor shoppe, where she discovered her knack for selling and for decorating. After some time, she decided to open her own business – and in October of 1980, opened Margaret Miller Interiors, in Kingston, NJ. The store had a life of its own, becoming yet another part of Margaret’s life -filled with love, laughter, kindness, and warmth. Flanked by her wonderful co-horts and then-retired husband (in the back room keeping the books….), Margaret made homes beautiful and offices grand, nurturing lifelong relationships with customers and staff alike. One recently said, “there isn’t any place I can go in my house without thinking of her, she made it unique to me, and beautiful.”

Margaret and Ted retired in 2003 – and, with Frank living overseas, decided to follow Caroline back to Jacksonville. Margaret rekindled friendships from her days at Landon and confirmation class at Temple. She volunteered at River Garden, at the gift shoppe at the Center, at Wolfson Children’s Hospital and helped to refresh and renew the Archives at Ahavath Chesed. A highlight of her return to her hometown was throwing birthday parties for underserved children in schools in downtown Jacksonville – a project she masterminded with her niece Allison.

Margaret and Ted created a life filled with friendships, family and time spent with children and grandchildren. After Ted’s passing in 2008, Margaret found new hobbies, added new friendships, and even figured out how to handle her banking, investments, I-phone, AND the ATM machine. She travelled, baked, swam, did CrossFit, and continued to spend her valuable time with her children and grandchildren for years – weathering with grace assorted medical misadventures and hardships.

Margaret spent the last years of her life “not-living-with” Caroline in Julington Creek – where she had an apartment attached to her daughter’s bustling home by a hallway and separated by a living room known to all as the neutral territory of “Switzerland”. Having to survive both Covid AND another round of residing amongst teens could not dampen Margaret’s wit, love of entertaining or determination to make her world more beautiful every day.

What would Margaret Miller say now? She would certainly ask that she be remembered frequently by all who knew her, that stories be told, meals prepared and shared, tables set and flowers arranged. She would remind us to take care of our families, invite strangers in for a meal, remember where we came from, and to always, always, ALWAYS, use the good china and sterling silver for a holiday.

Graveside services will be held on Tuesday, March 26, 2024, at 11 am at Hardage-Giddens Oaklawn Cemetery, 4801 San Jose Blvd, Jacksonville, Florida 32207. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Tunnel to Towers Foundation (t2t.org) or The Assistance Fund (tafcares.org).