Jean Margaret (Menzies) Miller

Jean passed away January 4, 2024, at Qualicum Manor in Qualicum Beach, BC. She was 97 years old. Jean was born on February 26, 1926 on the family farm in Midland Kings County, New Brunswick. She was a 5th generation Canadian. She had a younger brother Ron Menzies and a younger sister Elsbeth Gibson, both deceased. Jean is survived by her son Gordon Miller, daughter-in-law Rebecca Miller, grandchildren Duncan Miller and Chloe Miller as well as her daughter Barbara Nicoll, son-in-law Mark Nicoll, grandchildren Brandon Nicoll and Trevor Nicoll. Jean trained as a registered nurse at Chipman Memorial Hospital in St Stephen NB. She did her post graduate operating nurse training at John Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore Maryland. She worked as a OR nurse in Wadena Saskatchewan, Red Deer Alberta, Whitehorse Yukon Territory, Chilliwack BC and Ormstown Quebec. Jean also worked in a children's clothing store called Stephanie's Children's Wear as a store manager in Richmond Center and Lansdowne Mall. She later worked in the warehouse as an Administrative Assistant to the owner. Jean volunteered and was on the board of directors with the Connaught Figure Skating Club in Richmond, BC. Jean met Philip Miller (deceased 2022) when she was working as an OR nurse. They married November 7, 1959 at Riverbank Chapel in NB. Favorite places of Jean's were Whitehorse, Tulameen/Otter Lake, the farm in NB, trips to PEI and her children's weddings in Kauai and Maui. Her favorite artists to listen to were Anne Murray, Celine Dion and Rita MacNeil. Her favourite flower was the Mayflower found in springtime in NB. Her favorite color was green and the only province she never visited was Newfoundland. Jean enjoyed travelling and as a young woman travelled by train from New Brunswick to California and then flew to Hawaii when it wasn't common for young women to travel. Jean and family travelled to Australia, Fiji and Hawaii on a vacation and also drove a tent trailer from Richmond, BC to Disneyland. She and her family attended a New Brunswick family reunion in Florida and a Miller family reunion in England. She also drove across Canada on a few occasions. She drove around Alaska and the Yukon with a friend for curling bonspiels. Some of Jean's favorite sports to watch were curling, baseball, hockey and figure skating. Jean especially liked to watch her grandchildren in their sports. She enjoyed reading, knitting, jigsaw puzzles, crossword puzzles, playing bridge and fishing. Jean loved animals and had many dogs as pets. Jean's fondest memories include visits to her Aunt Floss and Uncle Warrie's with her brother Ron for sleepovers 3 or 4 times a year, putting hats under the bed at Easter time for the Easter bunny to put chocolate eggs in, the trip to Toronto to see the Blue Jays play and having 2 kids and 4 wonderful grandchildren. Although Jean had eye trouble and had little sight the last 10 years of her life, she didn't let it stop her. She continued to attend as many of her grandchildren's activities as she could and listened to Canucks and Blue Jays games on the tv/radio. Jean's message to family and friends is that "All of my grandchildren have been a great joy to me and I am very proud of them." If she could live her life over again, she would do "nothing different." Her goal was to live to the year 2000 and she did that!