Mary Cecilia Miller

Loving mother and devoted grandmother, Mary Cecilia Miller, passed away on Friday, September 27, 2024.

Born in Menomonee, Michigan on December 11, 1926, she was raised in Green Bay Wisconsin by her parents, John Fitzgerald and Gladys Gagnon. She came to Milwaukee to become an Army cadet nurse and trained at the school of nursing at Misericordia Hospital and graduated in 1948. She went on to become a registered nurse, working in this profession for over 30 years.

During nurses training, she met the love of her life, William F. Miller, whom she married and had over 50 cherished years of marriage with 4 children, 10 grandchildren and several great-grandchildren.

An avid lover of music, Mary surrounded herself with the sounds of symphonic orchestras and Italian opera. She attended operas in Milwaukee and Chicago, going backstage to get Pavarotti’s autograph after the opera Tosca which made her ecstatic. However, she always held a very special place in her heart for the magnificent tenor, Mario Lanza.

Mary fully relished all things Irish and Scottish, attending Scottish Festivals as often as humanly possible. She loved listening to the Irish Tenors and actually created a cross stitch of Ireland for the tenor, Finbar Wright. He was thrilled by it!

She was thoroughly enchanted by the magic of Christmas and instilled that same love in her children and grandchildren. She was a prolific baker and during the holiday season, the scent of baking cookies filled the house. She started the tradition of cookie day where the whole family would gather and get creative decorating her cutout, sugar cookies. Her grandchildren are lovingly carrying on this tradition in their own unique ways.

Mary became a master at counted cross stitch and won numerous ribbons at the Wisconsin State Fair for her exquisitely detailed pieces. She generously gifted many of her pieces to members of the family, much to their delight.

Mary was a devoted mother to her surviving children and their spouses: Christine, Jim and Martha, Dan and Beth, Dave and LeighAnn. She was also a doting grandmother to her grandchildren: Caroline, Colleen, Bridgette, Ben, Will, Derriel, Isabella, Nora, Jami and Caitlin.

Mary was preceded in death by her husband William F. Miller, and grandson Wesley Miller.

Visitation to be held on Wednesday, October 2, 2024 from 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM at Krause Funeral Home (12401 W. National Ave, New Berlin, WI 53151). Wisconsin Nurses Honor Guard and Funeral Service to follow. Interment Southern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery.

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