Claire Miller

Mary Claire Miller, born on March 16, 1941, in Baltimore, Maryland passed away peacefully in her home on March 20, 2023 after a long-fought battle with cancer. 

Claire, as she was known by all, was preceded in death by her parents John Anthony and Marie Catherine (Maygers) Schaefer.  The beloved wife of the late Howard Thacher Miller, Claire is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Scott and Leah Miller of New Freedom, Pennsylvania, their children (Kirsten, Hayden, and Charlotte), her stepdaughter and husband, Donna and Thomas Daniele of Tonawanda, New York, and their children (Amanda and James).  She is also survived by her siblings: John Schaefer (and his wife Mary Jayne), Barbara Bielat (and her late husband John), Margaret Wiessner (and her husband Bruce), and the late Stephen Schaefer (and his wife, Doreen).

Claire was an extremely proud mother and grandmother who had two passions in life – family and church.  She was loved by so many including her nieces, nephews, family, and friends.  She was a kind and thoughtful soul and will be missed and remembered by the many people whose lives she touched.

Claire graduated from The Catholic High School of Baltimore in 1959 and received a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Our Lady of Angels College (now Neumann University) in 1970.  After graduating from college, she went to work for North Charles General Hospital in Baltimore, MD, where she met her future husband, Howard.  When the hospital closed in the 1990s, Claire went on to work for several other organizations, including Staff Builders as a home care nurse, Baltimore Lutheran School as a part-time school nurse, and Oak Crest Senior Living as the manager of their home health care division.

Claire was a faithful servant of God for all of her life.  A professed member of the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia, she entered the congregation in 1959, was invested in 1960, and had her first profession in 1962.  She went on to serve several missions, including teaching at St. Joseph School (Dallastown, PA) and working at both St. Mary Hospital (Philadelphia, PA) and St. Francis Hospital (Wilmington, DE).  She left the congregation in 1975.  Many years later, after joining St. John’s Lutheran Church in Parkville, MD, Claire started the Caring Friends Ministry Outreach, which was created as an opportunity to reach out to those who cannot fully participate in the worship and fellowship opportunities of the church, and the Brightview Ministry – both were a passion near and dear to her heart.  She gave of herself, serving on many other ministry teams as well.  Claire later had a desire to give back even more and pursued becoming an Order of St. Stephen Deacon.  She was “set apart” as a Deacon on July 28, 2018 and received her Letter of Call on August 5, 2018.  She served as Deacon of St. John’s Lutheran Church until her passing.

Viewings will be held at the family-owned Evans Funeral Chapel - 8800 Harford Road, Parkville, MD 21234 on Thursday, March 30, 2023 from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM and 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM. 

There will be a visitation at St. John's Lutheran Church - 8808 Harford Road, Parkville, MD 21234 on Friday, March 31, 2023 starting at 10:00 AM.  Claire's funeral will follow the visitation at St. John's Lutheran Church starting at 11:00 AM.  Interment will be privately scheduled at a later date.

Memorial donations can be made in her memory to St. John’s Lutheran Church of Parkville (8808 Harford Road, Parkville, MD 21234).

 http://www.stjohnsparkville.org/give.html (put in the comments In Memory of Claire Miller)

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