Ruth Marye Miller

Ruth “Ruthie” Marye Miller, 88, of Fredericksburg, Virginia, peacefully passed away on April 11, 2024 at Spring Arbor of Fredericksburg while surrounded by loved ones. Ruth was born on September 19,1935 in Park Rapids, Minnesota to the late James Henry Wall and Hazel Kathryn (Aleck) Wall. She attended St Peter’s Parochial School and Park Rapids High School. Some of her favorite childhood activities were swimming and biking. Ruth spent an extensive amount of time at Fish Hook River and learned to swim underwater before she learned to swim on top. She spent so much time in the water that her mother told her she was going to grow fins. Ruth grew up with four older brothers and a younger sister. When her sister, Sally, was asked if she ever had any imaginary friends, she told Ruthie “I didn’t have one. I always had you.” Ruth's favorite childhood holiday was May Day. She loved decorating boxes with crepe paper and ribbon which she then filled with candy. She took them to the homes of close friends and hung them on the door, knocked, and ran before they could catch her. After graduating from High School in 1953, Ruth took a trip to Washington, DC to visit her brother, Don. The first day she spent sightseeing, the second day she took a Civil Service Exam, and on her third day she was working at the Pentagon as a stenographer. She worked at the Pentagon until 1959. Just before leaving her job, she won an award for her outstanding performance, which included tenaciously gathering information from Pentagon personnel and designing thirty charts, contributing to sixty percent of their written emergency plans. She did so in a capacity “far beyond that expected of her grade and experience.” Ruth married the love of her life, Harold “Hal” Lister Miller on June 11, 1955 at St Mary’s Catholic Church in Alexandria, VA. In their younger years, both Hal and Ruth enjoyed many nights out together bowling and dancing. The Jitterbug was one of her favorite dances. Someone once told them “You are the only two people I know that can dance without having your feet on the floor.” Hal and Ruth bought their first home in Fairfax County, VA where they lived for six years before moving to Falls Church, VA where they continued to raise their six children. Both of them enjoyed living near friendly neighbors, and Ruth became known in the neighborhood for her elaborate themed parties, most notably her Halloween and Hawaiian parties. She also valued the quieter evenings she would spend with friends outside past dark, talking or playing cards. Everyone cherished when Christmas came around because they would get to partake of Ruth’s “world class fudge.” Ruth also enjoyed sewing, gardening, theater, reading, and dreamed of one day being a writer. Hal appreciated how supportive she was to him in all his civic activities throughout their marriage. Ruth was always willing to help those in need, delivering Meals on Wheels and participating in other outreaches in both the community and at St James Catholic Church. She was involved with a women’s group that made rosaries, and she loved being a Eucharistic Minister. This allowed her to bring Communion to the homebound. When Hal retired, they moved to Winchester, VA where she was an active member of Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church and her book club. Ruth had seventeen grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. She was actively involved in their lives and always made sure to attend as many of their sports events and activities as she could. During family gatherings, she loved being around her grandchildren as they played. She loved hearing their laughter, and receiving all their hugs. They always made her smile. Throughout her life, it was not unusual for Ruth to have a smile on her face. It is that magnificent smile, and the joy that she continually brought to those around her, that her loved ones will never forget. Ruth is survived by her loving and devoted husband, Harold “Hal” Lister Miller and her children, Maureen (Alex) Gallagher-McLeod, Sharon (Tom) Brown, Kellie (Charles) Alpaugh, Melissa (Nick) George, Patricia “Trish” (Mari) Brebenel, and James (Kathy) Miller. She leaves behind sixteeen grandchildren (Sarah, Kevin, Kali, Nathan, Shelby, Amber, Justin, Ryan, Kayla, William, Zaidan, Nadia, Maya, Anna, Abbie, and Alexis), and two great-grandchildren (Townes and Jackson). She is survived by her sister Sarah “Sally” Lester and many loving nieces and nephews. Ruth is preceded in death by her parents James Henry Wall and Hazel Kathryn Wall, her brothers and their spouses: Michael (Patricia) Wall, Leonard “Jay” (Lilian) Wall, Charles “Chuck” (Alice) Wall, Donald “Don” (Frances and Novene) Wall, and by her granddaughter, Mary Catherine Miller. Services for Ruth will be held on Saturday, April 20, 2024 at Murphy’s Funeral Home, 1102 West Broad Street, Falls Church, VA 22046 with Visitation from 10:45 AM- 11:45 AM and a Celebration of Life Service from 11:45 AM - 12:15 PM. Interment will follow at 1:00 PM at Fairfax Memorial Park, 9900 Braddock Rd, Fairfax, VA 22032. The family would like to thank her home caregivers during her last year in Winchester, VA, the staff of Spring Arbor of Fredericksburg VA, and her team at Mary Washington Hospice, for all their love and care for Ruth and for their support of our family.