Marie Diane Miller

Marie Diane Miller was born into this world 73 years ago as a special person of God with Down syndrome. The youngest of eight children, she participated fully in all family activities, including travelling the world on summer vacations and having the privilege of having two private audiences with Pope Pius XII. She attended Holy Name of Jesus grammar school and graduated from Mercy Academy. Her high school classmates continued to reach out, visit and remember Diane on all special occasions and always included her in all reunions and luncheons, the most recent being in July of this year. After high school, she attended Magnolia Community Services School where new special friends were made and friendships continued to be nurtured as they celebrated Diane’s birthdays. They also had monthly movie nights where they would eat pizza and watch a movie either at Diane’s or their home. After her mother’s death in 1994, Diane moved to Metairie to be close to her siblings. She was an avid Saints fan and had a special room with all Saints paraphernalia including photos of her with players, Jim Finks, Mike Ditka and Jim Mora. Diane had loving and caring personal care assistants that looked after her and they are one of the main reasons she had a long and happily fulfilled life. She loved Mardi Gras and never missed an opportunity to yell “Hey, mister, throw me something” and attend the Hermes Tableaux. Her brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews from Florida, Virginia and Texas would come and visit her and she loved all the gatherings, birthday cards and gifts received from them. Diane passed away quietly at her home on September 25, 2019, after a brief illness. She is preceded in death by her mother, Edna Kuntz Miller, father, Dr. Martin O. Miller, sisters Lynn Miller Currier and Ann Miller Boulet. Diane leaves behind five siblings, Marian Miller Green, Pierre Valcour Miller, Judith Miller Kavanagh, Edna Miller Stoebner and Martin Owen Miler, II. Visitation will be at Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home on Thursday, October 3, 2019, from 10AM - 11AM, followed by a funeral Mass at Lake Lawn and Interment thereafter.In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Magnolia Community Services, 100 Central Avenue, Jefferson, LA 70121 or St. Michael’s Special School, 1522 Chippewa Street, New Orleans, LA 70130.