Doreen Mirk Miller

1949. The oldest of five children, Doreen had a fierce love of the arts from

an early age. When she first attended college at Eastern Michigan

University, she was a theater major. Doreen found her true vocation in the

field of social work in Oregon where she finished her undergraduate and

graduate degrees in Social Work at University of Oregon. She worked in

many different social service agencies in Oregon, California and in Boulder

County, primarily working with young people who were abused. The last

decades of her career were spent working for Boulder County Social

Services. Her love and attention helped hundreds of children and teens into

safe foster care or healthier homes with family. Her greatest passion was

motherhood. Doreen and Mark Miller had their daughter Krista Dias in

1984. While Doreen and Mark eventually divorced, they worked together to

create a loving home life for Krista. Krista is now an Episcopal Priest in Fort

Collins and is married to John Dias. They have two daughters, Gabby and

Molly, who added immense brightness to the love that Doreen shared with

all. Her granddaughters were the best gifts she could have been given.

Doreen also had a wonderful connection to two nieces, Sara and Becca

Robbins. Doreen loved all her girls. After retiring from social work, Doreen

spent her time loving her girls and was very active in her church, St. Mary

Magdalene Episcopal Church in Boulder. Through St. Mary Magdalene,

Doreen helped to lead a mental health group, encouraged lay pastoral

care, studied scripture, and practiced contemplative prayer. This is not a

complete list of all the ways she was active in her church. Doreen also

loved to visit Krista’s church St. Luke’s in Fort Collins and participated in

several book studies there in addition to Sunday worship. Doreen loved

visiting the Denver Art Museum. It brought her great joy to bring friends and

family for a day of beauty. Her apartment was filled with artwork. She knew

that beauty expresses some things which words alone cannot. Even so,

Doreen loved words. She read voraciously and was famous for finding

books that would uniquely connect with her loved ones’ lives. All of her

family members have stacks of books by their beds which were gifted by

Doreen. Her book group, affectionately called the “Bookers”, were an

important part of her life. Whenever she could, Doreen traveled to

California to spend time with family and sit by the ocean that she loved.

She could gaze at the waves for hours on end. Doreen died unexpectedly

in her home on November 21st 2023 due to natural causes. She is

preceded in death by her parents. Doreen is survived by her daughter

Krista Dias, son in law John Dias, grandchildren Molly and Gabby Dias,

brother Peter Mirk and his wife Cheryl Mirk, sister Kaaren Mirk and her

husband Gary Robbins, brother Tom Mirk and his wife Carol, brother Doug

Mirk and his husband Louie Hopkins, nieces Sara and Becca Robbins and

Danielle Mirk-Maliszewski, nephews Sean Mirk-Whiting, Michael

Maslowsky and Kyle Mirk. She also leaves behind many beloved friends.

A funeral service will be held on Thursday December 14th, 2023 at 11am at

St. Mary Magdalene Episcopal Church 4775 Cambridge St., Boulder, CO

80301. Please consider donating to St. Mary Magdalene Episcopal Church,

the Denver Art Museum or Chautauqua of Boulder in her memor