Edith "Edie" Miller

With the angels calling, our Mom slipped away to heaven peacefully in her sleep. The last of five children born to Joseph and Frances (Manzo) Filippi, Edith ‘Edie’ Teresa Miller began her journey on March 31, 1925 and ended it on March 11, 2021, 20 days shy of her 96th birthday. And what a journey it was. With a twinkle in her eyes, she had an infectious zest for life.

Edie was born and raised in Lodi. She met her husband, John Miller, during WW II. They married in 1948 and embarked on a 70 year union. A farmer’s wife, she worked hand in hand with him to build a beautiful life. Together they raised their family of three children. She always put her husband, children, grandchildren and great grandchildren first. Edie was a great role model and made her family feel safe and loved at all times. She taught her children the importance of kindness, generosity, compassion, honesty, hard work and the closeness of family. Life at home was continually a great culinary experience since she loved to cook and bake desserts and bread daily. There was not a recipe she wasn’t willing to tackle, especially if was Italian, German and French cuisine, and there was always room at the table for anyone stopping by for a meal. Edie not only loved to entertain guests at her home, she loved ballroom dancing, singing, travelling, and laughing. In other words, she loved to have a good time.

She was a member of St. Michaels Catholic Church in Stockton when she lived on the ranch, and a member of St. Anne’s parish when she moved into Lodi. Edie was actively involved in community organizations such as the Harmony Grove 4-H Club, the PTA, the Lodi Garden Club, the American Legion Ladies Auxiliary and the Waterloo-Morada Firehouse Women’s Auxiliary. She was also an avid golfer for over 30 years and belonged to a number of bridge card playing groups.

A natural soprano, she began singing for events at an early age and continued throughout most of her life. During WWII she performed with the USO. Whether she was practicing contemporary songs for an upcoming wedding or event, or religious songs for Sunday mass or a funeral, or choral work with the Stockton Chorale, or stretching her incredibly beautiful soprano voice to sing Puccini and Verdi arias, our house was always filled with the sounds of music. As children, we may have been working on the farm, but she also made sure we appreciated the arts.

In her 50s, with the kids nearly grown, she rose to the challenge of going to college and earned her Associate of Arts degree in Early Childhood Education from San Joaquin Delta College. She used her degree to work in the local Head Start Program for a number of years.

She is survived by her three children, Janet (Bruce), Nancy, John (Chris), three grandsons, Andy, Will and Mike (Becky), four great grandchildren, Kolby, Bodie, Hazel and Isabelle, numerous nephews and nieces, great nephews and nieces, and great great nephews and nieces. She was preceded in death by her husband, John, parents, Joe and Frances, brothers, Vincent, Nino, and Joe, Sister, Mary, in-laws Abe and Elizabeth Miller, and granddaughter-in-law, Karli.

Our Mom has cast off her earthly body and the fog of dementia and rejoined our Dad, where she is singing and dancing and laughing again. She has not left us behind … she is just ahead of us. Until we meet again …

We would like to thank the staff at Evergreen Residential Assisted Living in Visalia for providing such care and comfort to Edie in the last couple years of her life.

A private memorial mass will be held at St. Anne’s Catholic Church in Lodi at a future date. The services are under the direction of Peoples Funeral Chapel in Hanford, California.