Marylouise Ukena Miller

Marylouise (Marylou) was born on June 17, 1935, in Chicago Illinois to parents Eike & Marion Ukena. She learned to read at the age of 3 and was a terror to her half-brother Ralph Richard, 7 years her senior.

The family moved to Arcadia, Ca in 1946 when her father got a new job making mobile home trailers in the booming post-war economy. The family moved again in 1949, after her father completed building their home in the Monrovia foothills.

Marylou graduated from Monrovia High School in 1951 and then attended Occidental College where she graduated with a dual major in Political Science and History in 1955. Then later, in the 1990’s she went back to school and got her master’s degree in education from Azusa Pacific.

Her first job after college was as a bank teller with Bank of America in Los Angeles and was later promoted to an escrow officer. She worked there until the birth of her first child, March 1959.

She met her husband, Jerry (Gerald) Miller, at a church retreat at Cedar Glen in Julian California, Labor Day weekend 1956 and were engaged 6 weeks later! Jerry and Marylou were married on March 29, 1958, at the Pasadena First Methodist Church.

The couple moved to Pomona in the early 1960’s and after the birth of her 4th child, Marylou went back to school to get her teaching credential.

In August of 1969, the young family moved to Fullerton. Marylou completed her credential and became a substitute teacher for the Fullerton School District, while continuing to raise her young children. She received her first classroom assignment in 1979 and worked at Sunset Lane in the primary grades until retiring in 2000.

Besides being a full-time classroom teacher, she was a Master teacher, BITSA trainer, a member and coordinator of Math Field Day and Math Olympiad programs for Orange County, as well as a consultant with the AIMS Educational Foundation and did workshops teaching math and science to teachers across the USA.

In addition to being an avid reader, a knitter and life-long learner, Marylou was also an active member at Fullerton First United Methodist Church where she was a Sunday school teacher, and taught dynamic lessons such as, parting the Red Sea and knocking down the walls of Jericho with the 10’O Clock Special Children’s Sunday school class! She was also part of the care ministry, and took to writing cards to shut-ins, birthday cards to her church family, as well as sending encouraging notes to the recent graduates of high school & college, and occasionally slipping in a few dollars for an ice cream or a treat. She was also a two-time recipient of the quiet disciple award with the United Methodist Women’s group of Orange County.

Marylou was an energetic vacation planner for her family, pouring over the AAA Tour books and maps to find the most interesting locations. She took her family to places such as the Wupatki National Monument, North Rim of the Grand Canyon, Sequoia, Kings Canyon, Canyon De Chelly, Bryce, Zion, Sunset Crater, and even took a train ride on the narrow gauge railroad from Durango to Silverton, to name several. She never shied away from a hike or an adventure!!! She created a close-knit family that has only grown closer throughout the years!

After retirement, Marylou was diagnosed with colon cancer (Stage 3-B). She always asked the Doctors, “what’s the next step” rather than despairing of her condition. She went through surgeries and chemotherapy and was cancer free until her passing. She was so proud of the day when she was “kicked out” of the Oncology office when the Doctor said they didn’t want to see her anymore!

Once in remission and feeling better, teaching called her back and was a tireless volunteer in her daughter’s classroom in the Magnolia School District from 2001- 2018; where she was affectionately known as “Grandma” to hundreds of students and faculty.

Marylou was an inspiration to all who knew her. Her positive outlook and glass half-full attitude was infectious and was often sought out over her lifetime from family and friends.

She died peacefully surrounded by those she loved on Friday June 14, 2024.

She is survived by:

Children: David and Lori Miller of Utah, Philip and Brenda Miller of Anaheim, Marian Bartlett of Colorado and Susan Miller of Fullerton

Grandchildren: Keith and JoAnna Miller, Amy and Roger Tadeo, Heidi Miller and Adam Bolling, Charlie Miller and Trishelle Love, Rachel and AJ Atry, Paul Miller and Amanda Albus, Sarah and Andy Kraefft.

Great Grandchildren: Alora Tadeo. Christopher Tadeo, Ellie Miller, Hudson Miller, Lilith Kraefft

Preceded in death by her loving and beloved husband Jerry Miller.

Memorial service will be held on:

Saturday July 27 at 1:30 at the

Fullerton First United Methodist Church

114 N. Pomona Ave. Fullerton, Ca 92832

live-streamed at……www.ffumc.net/livestream