Mary F. Miller

Mary F. Miller

Age 91, of Northville, formerly of South Lyon and Farmington Hills, passed away peacefully on August 21, 2019. She was born on May 17, 1928 in Detroit, Michigan: daughter of Frank and Mary Marcella (nee McEvoy) Stang. Mary was united in marriage to Charles A. Miller on June 22, 1953; they spent 27 loving years together until his death on April 15, 1980.

Mary graduated from St. Mary Academy in Monroe, Michigan; she continued her education at Aquinas College where she earned a bachelor’s degree in social work.  Prior to her marriage, she worked briefly as a social worker and an elementary school teacher.  Following her husband’s death in 1980, she took over his insurance clients and finished her schooling.  After earning her master’s degree from Oakland University in elementary education, Mary began her career at Parker Elementary School in Royal Oak teaching third and fourth grades.

As a young mother, Mary volunteered at Our Lady of Sorrows in Farmington teaching catechism and later gave knitting lessons through the Farmington Community Center. In more recent years, she knit caps for infants at local hospitals.  As her children grew up, Mary enjoyed playing tennis and figure skating.  She was an avid reader, especially enjoying a good mystery novel.  Mary took several art history classes at the DIA.  She travelled throughout Europe and Egypt with art historian Michael Farrell and other students and was able to explore areas the public doesn’t often see.  She liked to garden and grew both flowers and vegetables.  She was a wonderful cook and made delicious soups and baked goods to share with family and friends.  Mary was a baseball fan; the Tigers were her favorite team.  Mary spent much of her time taking care of her family; she was an incredibly devoted mother and grandmother.

Mary is survived by her loving children: Mary (Dennis Satterfield) Miller-Satterfield, Elizabeth Toftey, Amy (James) Dulgerian, Charles (Christine) Miller, Paul (Katherine) Miller, Mark (Mary Lou) Miller, Estelle (John) Bowler, and Matthew (Jennifer) Miller; her grandchildren, Kristin (Manuel Gallegos) Sankovich, Charles Toftey, Alex Dulgerian, Daniel Dulgerian, Megan Miller, Jacob Miller, Anna Miller, Matthew Miller, Andrea Miller, Maggie Bowler, Jackson Miller, and Benjamin Miller; and her great grandson, River Gallegos.  She was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, her sister Estelle Stang and long-time companion Donald French of Ann Arbor.

Public visitation will be held at Casterline Funeral Home, 122 W. Dunlap, Northville on October 4, 2019 from 4:00pm – 8:00pm.  Private family services will be held on Saturday, October 5, 2019.  Mary will be laid to rest next to her husband at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Southfield.

In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate memorial contributions to The Recovery Project which provides additional therapy when insurance monies run out to people with spinal cord injuries and neurological diseases via The Mary and Charles A. Parkhill Foundation for Spinal Cord Rehabilitation.  Visit www.parkhillfoundation.com to donate. When filling out the online donation form, please enter Mary Miller in the Country field.