Laura Miller

Laura Miller

(aka.. Laura Lee Miller, or "Mama Laura" to all the children she helped raise over the years)

June 22, 1939 to February 13, 2025

85 years young

Laura was a devoted mother, sincere friend, business owner, teacher, great listener, mighty fisherwoman, gardener, loved the outdoors and nature, hiker, and traveler.  

She passed away after 3 long weeks in the hospital ICU on a Thursday night while holding the hand of her son (Joey) at her bedside.  The cause was aspirated pneumonia and lung failure which came on suddenly and without warning.  Laura was not sick beforehand, and was generally considered in good health at that time.  This came as a complete surprise to everyone as we are all devastated by her loss, but also managed to find some peace knowing that Laura is no longer suffering or in any pain.        

Laura always had a strong willed feisty personality that loved life.  Although if you asked her directly she would have said she's really more of a "Bad Ass" instead.  Those were her actual words while in the hospital.  She's joking of course, but you gotta love it.  Being 85 years old, the chips are down, and she's still cracking jokes about herself because she doesn't want you to worry about her.  That's Laura for ya!  :)    

Laura dedicated her life to raising her son right, and to improving the lives of the many children she worked with over the years.

Her Childhood Years:

Laura was born in Yakima, WA, and was one of the youngest of 10 children in her family growing up during the Great Depression and WWII years when scarcity and being tough enough to endure without was a common practice.  She descended from a European family speaking German and English in the household, with many of her family members being musically gifted with a variety of instruments in which they played at school, home, social functions, or fun. 

Laura was raised Roman Catholic, and attended an all girls school (kindergarten through high school) via St. Joseph Catholic Church in downtown Yakima.  The family lived by Miller Park (no relation, just a coincidence), where her father (John Miller) worked in the lumber mill at the north part of town, and mother (Katherine Miller) was a master seamstress and excellent cook.  Everyone in the family attended St. Joseph's Church services on a regular basis, and were all very active in the community helping out one another.

Life back then was a much simpler time with little to no money to spend, so the children from this era had to find creative ways to entertain themselves.  There were no computers, cell phones, or internet like today.  Even having access to TV and channel selections was limited.  Kids often enjoyed music or listened to the radio, sometimes they played board/card games, read books and magazines, did sports, and of course staying busy with chores or odd jobs for extra money was popular too.  The size of families back then were typically much bigger than what you see today, so you always had someone to play with or something to do.

Her Younger Adult Years:

As a young adult Laura later moved  away from Yakima to Seattle, WA to start a new life looking for more opportunities in a bigger city. 

This is where she raised her son (Joey) as a single parent, never married, during the 1970's.  Life was challenging, but Laura somehow managed to make things work.  She loved her son dearly, always putting his needs as a top priority, and was the driving force behind him getting a college education one day.  Thanks mom!

Laura had big dreams of helping children everywhere someday with her very own large scale orphanage.  Unfortunately this dream didn't quite work out as planned, but she did become a self-proprietor of her very own Preschool/Day Care business for 40 years, where she was the sole owner and operator.  Laura always had a passion for enriching the lives of children, making them smarter, teaching them their manners and how to read, testing their ABC's & 123's, and in return the kids loved her for it too.  Some of the children even referred to her as "Mama Laura" sometimes for the unconditional love and care she provided.

Laura always enjoyed being outdoors with nature, taking walks in the mountains, going fishing or traveling with her son, and of course growing flowers in her garden.  Every year she took pride in refreshing the planter boxes and hanging baskets with purple petunias because they always smelled great.

Laura's Best Attributes:

1)  Her ability to manage large groups of children, while keeping them focused, happy and disciplined.  Just ask any parent and they will agree this is no easy task to pull off even for one child, let alone a group. 

2)  Laura had a very likeable personality that blended well with others, so she always seemed to be surrounded by people and friends.

3)  Her great sense of humor and fun loving quick wit

4)  For being real, and not taking herself too seriously

Her Senior Adult Years:

Luck should have it that Laura managed to stay healthy for most of her life, and avoid any major alignments or time spent in the hospital.  Although in her senior years rheumatoid arthritis, glaucoma, and a minor case of dementia made their presence, but they were manageable.  Unfortunately having rheumatoid arthritis one day did cripple Laura placing her in a wheelchair for the last 7 years of her life.  This was a hugely depressing obstacle to overcome, but regardless it didn't stop her from getting out and still having fun whenever possible. 

Some of Laura's most favorite things to do at this time of her life were to go on walks outside with her son (Joey) who would push her wheelchair to the local parks, outdoor concerts, scenic vistas, and to watch the beautiful sunsets.  While on these walks Laura always played the game of how many wild rabbits running around will I see today.  I believe the all time highest score was 9 rabbits in one day.  Go Mom!

Another favorite of Laura's was going home every Sunday to watch the acrobatic hummingbirds dance around in the back yard, singing along to Jimmy Buffet & Elvis songs, enjoying the change of holiday seasons and festivities each month, and most of all spending quality time with loved ones relaxing, eating, and watching good movies whenever given the chance.  Fun times.

Special Thanks To:

Ed:  Lifetime long extra special friend of the family.  Thank you so very much for everything, your generosity, your time, and your commitment over the years.  You are a great friend!

Wesley Homes Nursing Home (Nurses, Aids & Staff):  "Thank You" to everyone for all your support over the past 6 years.  An extra special thanks to those that helped with the weekly menu, providing assistance moving the phone so Laura could talk to those that called her, having her ready to go every Sunday morning, and for helping with her TV when needed--especially on Friday's when "Hawaii 5.0" came on.  Can't miss that!

U.W. Valley Medical Center (ER & ICU):  Thanks for providing quality care for when Laura needed it most, collaborating and working well as a team, and for providing excellent feedback and communications along the way. 

Favorite TV Shows:  Laura always enjoyed watching her TV, but definitely had some favorites such as "Friends, The Walton's, Reba, Hawaii 5.0, and Magnum PI." Thanks for all the excitement and giggles over the years.

Luckily Laura was able to enjoy reruns of "Friends" while in the hospital up to her last day. 

Access Wheelchair Shuttle Bus & TriMed Cabulance:  Without your services being available to the general public, life would have been much more difficult and dull.  Having the ability to navigate to doctor appointments, run errands, and visit others freely made life feel human again.  Thank you!   

Laura is survived by her son Joey, sister Arlene, and great friend of the family Ed. 

When saying good bye Laura would always remind us with...

- Mind your manners

- Lova Lova You! 

- Ending with a Smile...

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Laura Miller, please visit our floral store.