Joan Kathryn Miller

She instructed her daughter, JoAnne, to make the obituary and eulogy simple. She said she was a simple woman, don’t embellish it!

Joan was born to Clarence and Kathrine Knox on November 15,1922 in San Francisco, California. She is preceded in death by her parents; and her siblings; Margaret Knox, Jane Buckley, Robert Knox and Marilyn Kack.

Joan was born into an Irish Catholic family. She maintained her strong religious base her entire life. She made sure all of her children went to Catholic school when possible, catechism, received sacraments and attended church each week. Whenever there was a tragedy in any of the children’s life, she prayed a Novena and added prayer requests to the prayer line at church. We all believe in the power of prayer. Recently when she would talk about dying, she would say she was ready and wanted to see her father and meet Jesus. She also said that her brother-in-law, Mike, would be waiting for her when she arrived and would say “Joanie, what took you so long?”

She graduated from Presentation High School in San Francisco, California and earned an Art Scholarship. Her father died at the age of 35, leaving her mother as the family breadwinner. After high school each of the children found jobs to help support the household expenses. She worked in various secretarial positions for Social Security Administration and the Veteran’s Hospital in Fresno until her retirement at age 62.

She married James Edwards on August 26, 1944. He was in the Navy and was in port on leave when they met at the local USO. After their marriage, Jim was stationed on the USS New Mexico in the South Pacific during World War II. Following the War they resided in San Francisco, San Mateo and Hayward before settling in Fresno, California in 1955 with their four children. Joan lived in her home in Fresno for 60 years until she moved to assisted living at the age of 95.

She married a second time on October 3,1970 to Roger (Vance) Miller whom she met at a Parents Without Partners meeting. It was love at first sight for Roger and he told everyone that evening that he was going to marry her. Seven months after their wedding Roger had a stroke, was paralyzed on one side and could not speak. Joan took care of him while she worked a full time job. They even traveled with Roger in a wheelchair to Hawaii and also by car from California to Illinois. This was long before disability access was universal. She cared for him for seven years before he died.

Her hobbies included dancing, square dancing, painting, traveling and gardening. She was still dancing at age 90! After retirement she took courses in computer and art. She was a member of the Fresno Elks Club and St Anthony of Padua Queen of the Holy Family Guild where she authored the newsletter. She traveled to Italy, the Vatican, Germany, the Mediterranean, Hawaii, the Caribbean. At age 65 she went house boating in Kentucky with family and was able to waterski.

She was known to be fiercely independent and those closest to her would say that she did things her way until her last breath. She was strong in her political views and would engage anyone in a hearty discussion of the current administration.

She was most proud of her children. All were college graduates, had good marriages, good jobs and shared many good memories with her.

She loved to party and told her children that she did not mind dying but that she did not want to miss the party. In March of 2020, her condition deteriorated and she felt her time was near. All her children, some of the grandchildren, nieces and a nephew all came to be with her. She wanted to have a wake. She ordered what she wanted to eat, had a glass of wine and proceeded to ask people what they would say about her. It was a great party!

She is survived by her children, JoAnne (Jean) Price, Gary (Luigi) Edwards, Janet (Dennis) Peevyhouse, Jeannie (Bill) Musso. She was blessed with six grandchildren, four great grandchildren, nieces and nephews She wanted us to remember her dear friend, Jim Sutton, who died last year of Covid. They would enjoy a cocktail and the evening news each night for many years.

We would also like to recognize Val and Monica Catuna who provided a loving, safe and nurturing home for Mom for the last two years of her life. They will always be family to us and we are so grateful and blessed to have been led to them.

We will host a celebration of life on August 25th, 2021. We will begin with 10:30 AM Mass at St Thomas More Catholic Church, 6180 W. Utopia, Glendale, AZ 85308. A reception luncheon will follow at Westbrook Village Lakes Recreation Center, 19251 N Westbrook Village Parkway, Peoria, AZ 85382.

Memorials can be sent in her name to Hospice of the Valley or St. Thomas More Catholic Church.