Mary Kathleen Miller

Kit Miller was born in Albany, OR on March 13, 1936, beloved sister of Dolores Ann (Suing) and the second daughter of Thomas Edward and Anna Christina (Kropp) Metcalf. She spent her early childhood in Albany, where she developed her lifelong love of nature and the outdoors. As a young girl, she moved with her family to Salem, OR, where she attended Sacred Heart High School, graduating in 1954. She went on to Oregon State University, earning a Bachelor’s Degree from the School of Education. She was a proud member of Kappa Alpha Theta, where she developed many enduring friendships that led to wonderful reunions with her fellow Thetas over the years. It was during her time at Oregon State that she met Richard L. Miller, originally from Gresham, OR (suburb of Portland), and established a loving relationship that would last the rest of her life. After graduating from Oregon State, Kit completed graduate work in Occupational Therapy at Washington University in St. Louis, MO. She married Rich in June of 1959 at St. Vincent de Paul Church in Salem, OR and accompanied him back to Minneapolis, where he was finishing his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering at the University of Minnesota. Her first two children, Michael and Brock, were born in Minneapolis.

She moved with her young family to Richmond, CA in 1962 before finding her way to San Antonio in 1964. There, she began work with the Easter Seals Society as an Occupational Therapist prior to giving birth to her third child, Todd Christopher, in 1966. As they say in Texas, if you weren’t born or raised here, you got here “as soon as you could”; this saying aptly fit Kit. In addition to her work as an Occupational Therapist, she went about raising her “all boys” household. As they became older, she transitioned to providing home-based therapeutic care to at-risk young people in the San Antonio area. In line with her lifelong interest in learning and being the best that she could be, Kit completed a second Master’s Degree in Education from the University of Texas in San Antonio in 1987.

Despite their deepening roots in Central Texas, Kit and Rich never lost their love for the Pacific Northwest. Many a fun road trip was had with the family transversing the western U.S. on the way to visit relatives in northern California and Oregon. Especially in the summer, Oregon represented a welcome respite from the Texas sun. Kit placed great importance on maintaining strong ties with the family in Oregon, a legacy that exists to this day. She enjoyed frequent trips overseas to visit her children living in Germany and Switzerland and was fiercely proud of her German heritage, centered around Bamberg in northern Bavaria. She was equally proud of the Irish side of her family – quick to rejoice on St. Patrick’s Day and celebrate the San Antonio River being dyed green for a day or two. Shortly before retiring, Kit and Rich realized a lifelong dream and purchased a cottage on the Oregon coast where they spent many happy summers enjoying vigorous morning walks and spectacular evening sunsets.

Kit was an avid gardener with the proverbial green thumb. With a true love of the art and science of landscaping, and a passion for discovering any plant that could survive in central Texas, she earned a Master Gardener certification from the Texas Cooperative Extension (managed by Texas A&M). She was a volunteer docent at the San Antonio Zoo for many years, braving the Texas summers to inform and educate young people about the myriad wonders the zoo has to offer. During their heyday starting in the early 2000’s she became and remained a devoted San Antonio Spurs fan and – when not personally attending games – was glued to the TV cheering “her” team on to numerous NBA championships. While never a complete convert, Kit adapted well to life in Texas and enthusiastically raised her three boys. She came to understand (and tolerate) the passion for Texas high school football and eagerly supported her sons in their various athletic endeavors. She developed a particular affinity with the Texas Hill Country and celebrated a number of birthdays with family at Broken Bone Ranch outside of Medina. Not having any daughters of her own, she joyously welcomed with open arms her three daughters-in-law and the numerous granddaughters (and sons) that resulted.

Kit was a lifelong committed Catholic and raised her family in this spirit. She and Rich were founding members of St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church in north San Antonio and immediately found a welcoming home in the adult choir, where they were active for many years and forged many lasting friendships. She was also active in the St. Vincent De Paul chapter and the Lady’s quilting guild. Her spirituality transcended her membership in the church and was evident to anyone whose life she touched. She supported multiple charities and, with monthly donations, “adopted” numerous young children in developing countries. She cherished the letters of gratitude received from the recipient children.

Kit was overall a generous cherished friend, thoughtful mentor, devoted mother, grandmother, great grandmother, and an all-around beautiful soul. She will be missed dearly and fondly remembered. The world is a less perfect place with her not in it. She is survived by her husband of 64 years Richard, sons Michael (Ellen), Brock (Martha) and Todd (Anne-Marie), 10 grandchildren and two great grandchildren.

ROSARY AND MASSFRIDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 202410:00 am ST. MARK THE EVANGELIST CATHOLIC CHURCH

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to St. Vincent de Paul Society of St. Mark’s using the envelope number to commemorate the life of Mary Kathleen Metcalf Miller or plant a native tree or wildflower garden in her honor.