M. Darlene Miller

Mildred Darlene Miller was born in Springfield, Colorado on October 11, 1931. Her family was living in Kansas but was visiting relatives in Springfield. Her mother’s name was Mildred, so she went by Darlene her entire life.

Darlene grew up in Satanta, Kansas during the dust bowl era, and has a photo from the local newspaper of her and her brother playing in the mud after much needed rain. When she was 11 years old, her family moved to Burlington, Colorado. As she got into her teens, she loved it when the troop trains stopped in town so she could dance with soldiers at the IOOF hall. She met and married her husband of 45 years, Chuck Miller while attending high school in Burlington. Darlene’s parents wanted her to be a farm wife, but she was determined to go to college. While at Colorado A&M (now CSU) she continued to be an energetic person, becoming an A&M Cheerleader. Shortly after that, she became a mother of two sons.

From the beginning, Darlene was a tireless advocate and supporter for her kids. She also was driven to serve others. She got her Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Northern Colorado, and while being an amazing wife and mother, was also able to get her Master’s Degree driving back and forth from Castle Rock to Greeley. In 1967, Darlene gave birth to a third son and again proved how much her sons meant to her.

While working full time, doing the cooking, cleaning the house, doing the laundry, ironing, etc., she made sure her kids had any and every opportunity including Church, Scouts, 4-H, sports, and music. Darlene taught her kids, her grandkids, and some of her great-grand kids how to read before they went to school. Her passion and energy were contagious.

When Darlene stopped teaching elementary school, at the age of 58 and after 27 years, she went into Real Estate and eventually started a development of 30+ homes that were handicap accessible in honor of her brother, who died from bone cancer. When she finished that project, she moved to Pueblo, Colorado to help four of her grandchildren learn to read and to be involved in their lives.

When it came to family, she was selfless. A devout Denver Bronco Fan and season ticket holder, she loved going to the games into her late 70s. At the age of 80, Darlene went parasailing in Mexico. At 81, she went to Pearl Harbor. Her health started to deteriorate after that. Ultimately, she succumbed to pneumonia at the age of 90 on May 3, 2022. She put up a strong battle. Darlene was a fighter.

She is survived by her three sons, Gary of Pueblo, Terry of Monument, and Mick from Castle Rock, ten grandchildren and nine great grandchildren.

A funeral service for Darlene will be held Saturday, May 14, 2022 at 11:30 AM at Olinger Andrews Caldwell Gibson Chapel, 407 Jerry Street, Castle Rock, CO 80104. Following the funeral service, there will be a reception hosted by the Miller family followed by cemetery committal services at Cedar Hill Cemetery, 880 E. Wolfensberger Rd., Castle Rock, CO 80109.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.OlingerAndrews.com for the Miller family.