Suzzanne Marie Miller

On August 29, 1940, in Mobile, Alabama, Suzzanne Marie Holcombe was born to J. C. and Margaret Holcombe. She was preceded in death by her parents J.C. and Margaret, siblings Mary Elizabeth Ludvigsen (Michael), Shirley Hall (Kenneth), J.C. Jr., and her husband Charles Tessier Miller. She is survived by her daughters Meredith Tessier and Joni Hall, daughter-in-law Anna Lisa Tessier, grandchildren Tanner, Madeline, and Lucion, and numerous nieces and nephews.

The first few years of her life were spent on the Holcombe Estate which later became the Carmelite Monastery. After the death of her parents, the four children moved into the Holcombe house on Fernway. There, they were raised by their grandmother, affectionately known as Nanny, and her two sisters, fondly known as Aunt Joe and Aunt Desi. Suzzanne attended St. Mary’s Catholic School and then Convent of Mercy High School, graduating in 1959.

After graduation, answering God’s call to religious life, Suzzanne entered the Missionary Servants of the Most Blessed Trinity (MSBT) where she took the name Sister Mary Therese. As a Trinitarian nun, she served as a nurse at the Trinitarian motherhouse in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at Holy Name of Jesus Hospital in Gadsen, Alabama, at one of the TB Hospitals, and at the Allen Memorial Nursing Home in Mobile, Alabama. She served at the orphanage in Pennsylvania, in nursing and social work in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, started prayer groups in Philadelphia, Pensacola, and Mobile, was a member of the inner and outer MSBT cenacle, facilitated numerous Cursillos, and worked at Catholic Social Services in Montgomery, Mobile, and Pensacola.

In a surprising change of events, Suzzanne fell in love with her spiritual advisor Father Charles Miller of the Society of Jesus. Charles returned her love with both citing having fallen in love with each other’s love for God. They each requested a sabbatical from their respective religious orders to discern the path God was calling them to follow. Receiving the same call to deepen their spiritual growth through intertwining their lives in the sacrament of marriage, Suzzanne and Charles petitioned Pope Paul VI for a dispensation from their religious orders. Their papal dispensation was granted, and they were married at St. Mary’s Catholic Church.

Post marriage, Suzzanne continued her life of service through caring for the aging members of her family and through working for over 30 years at Catholic Social Services Cambodian Association and Refugee Resettlement Program. After retirement, Suzzanne spent her days crocheting and praying the rosary and novenas for various people and special intentions. On May 18, 2024, surrounded by her family, Suzzanne, 83, was called home to heaven as her granddaughter, Madeline, sang their adaptation of the chorus to the Lawrence Welk show theme song wishing grandma love and a goodnight. Suzzanne will be deeply missed by all those who knew her beautiful spirit. She will be remembered as a loving, faith-filled, patient, calm, joyful, humble, servant of God, and a wonderful mother, grandmother, aunt, cousin, and friend.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Missionary Servants of the Most Blessed Trinity at 3501 Solly Ave., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19136 or online at https://msbt.org

Visitation will be held on Wednesday, May 29, 2024, from 5 pm to 8 pm at Radney’s Funeral Home on Dauphin St. A funeral mass of Christian burial will be held at Our Savior Catholic Church on Cody Rd. Thursday, May 30, 2024, at 11 am with internment immediately following at Pinecrest Cemetery on DIP.