Miriam Katherine Nay

Also known as Miri, Mimi, Peanut, and a host of other nicknames, Miriam was born a healthy and beautiful baby girl on September 14, 2010, to parents Joshua and Kathy Nay. But by age two her development stagnated, she began losing some of her vocabulary, and she failed a hearing test. Finally, in December 2014 we learned the cause of her challenges when Miriam was diagnosed with Mucopolysaccharidosis type IIIB, also known as Sanfilippo Syndrome. She spent the next two and a half years in a clinical trial that would have her travel to Pittsburgh every other week. When the trial was eventually canceled, Miri was the only seven-year-old we knew who had a Gold status with an airline.

In her lifetime, Miriam attended Elwyn and the Kindergarten Academy in Delaware County, PA and most recently, was a day student at Gardener Education Center at Woods Services in Langhorne, PA, where she received exceptional, loving care.

Miriam was loved by all who knew her, and in her way, she showed you that she loved you back. Her hugs were legendary. She was the best cuddler. Laps were among her favorite seats. And while sitting with you, she would often absentmindedly twirl your hair or stick her fingers in your ear. Then she would pull you in by the neck for kisses. She gave great kisses.

Miriam’s laugh was infectious. She smiled with her whole face. And she loved laughing with others, up close, face to face, or right in her ear, which only made her laugh harder.

She loved her cheeseburgers, M&Ms, pretzels, and cookies. Most any baked goods, really.

Before her condition started stealing some of her abilities, Miri learned to use an iPad. It was a source of happiness, comfort and, at times, distraction. She was never without one. Through it, Miri was able to watch all her favorite shows everywhere we went. She loved Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Super Why, Curious George, Cat in the Hat, and Doc McStuffins. The theme songs to those shows and others like them were the soundtrack of our lives for the last twelve years. While she couldn’t say the words, Miri would babble along in perfect time with all of them – just one way she showed us just how smart she was.

She fought fiercely against Sanfilippo Syndrome until the very end, passing away peacefully in her sleep. Now her fight is over, and she is free of the weight she bore so gracefully in life.

While she is no longer with us physically, Miriam’s spirit and the lessons she taught us will live with us forever – to smile through tough times, to not be afraid of what others think, to be patient, to love unconditionally. And so, so much more.

While we knew this day would eventually come, it was far too soon. Our only consolation is knowing that one day we will be reunited. Until then, we will try and live the rest of our lives in a way that honors her.

Miriam is survived by her parents, her brother John Malcolm (“Jack”), her grandparents Ronald and Patricia Nay and Royce Bunce and Betsy Sherwood, aunts Colleen Nay and Kacy Gehrens, and many cousins.

A memorial service for family and friends will be held on Thursday, June 15, 2023 from 9 am until 1 pm at the James J. Dougherty Funeral Home, 2200 Trenton Road, Levittown, PA. Funeral services will begin on or about 1 pm.

In lieu of flowers, we would prefer donations be made in her name to the National MPS Society at https://mpssociety.org/donate/, Team Sanfilippo TSF INC at https://teamsanfilippo.org/donate and/or her school Woods Services at https://www.woods.org/support-woods/honor-a-friend-or-loved-one/