In between the most Irish holiday of all, St Patrick’s Day and the promise of the First day of Spring, on a morning of the brightest finality of a Super Full Moon and later that night a glorious red/creamy tangerine/and blue-denim sunset, Mom left us^_our Irish lass with sparkling blue eyes and a heart like a cheery sunflower

A ND farm girl-Charlotte Ann Hilgers Miller by way of Canada, by way of Ireland a long-legged basketball center star with flowing unruly curls; the oldest daughter of Vern and Olive Hilgers, grew up on the wheat, barley, alfalfa, rye & sunflower fields of North Dakota; big sister to Ginny, Robert and Mike.

Living in the big house, at the end of the dirt road, down from the Chinchilla House, around the corner from the grain elevator, and up past the railroad tracks; in a town sporting a population of 2 or 300—maybe, if you counted cats and dogs.

First attending St. Mary’s Academy Catholic School, in Devils Lake, sometimes traveling by horse-drawn hay wagons piled high with blankets. Next at the Public Schoolhouse in Crary, she met Mike Miller in 3rd grade, and they were an item ever since (with a pretend wedding, and sealing the deal with an ashtray?! (not sure who gifted who), they attended with their siblings and friends, and graduated together in a class of 9.

After graduation, Char started at the College of Saint Benedict in St. Joseph, MN, but missing Mike—she got on a bus and made a cross-country trip to ‘follow a boy’, to the Naval Aviation School in Pensacola, FL—where they wed on May 19, 1956.

Moving back, they began their life and young family, living first in a trailer home in Moorhead, MN where Dad went to college and Mom worked as a bank teller. Then traversing ‘the Cities’ of MN, and many school districts—Char cheerfully accepted the role of school administrators wife, and followed Mike through his career of Teacher Principal Assistant Superintendent and then Superintendent of Schools, we lived in Burnsville, Bloomington, Fridley, back to Burnsville, Mahtomedi, and finally Buffalo—every move Mom unpacking, making a home, meeting friends and neighbors, spending some years, then packing again to start at a new district

She always said the Next house and the Next friends and neighbors they made, were ‘the Best’. When her sister and family moved in next door to us in Burnsville, we had 4 more instant cousin friends, and we raced back and forth all day between the two houses, until either dinner bell rang from the front step

Char was active in the Buffalo community, working part time at the ‘round’ bank for 30 yrs, everyone knew her as the drive-up teller, and when the big box bank came in, she said No Thank You to that and Yes to leisure time reading in her sunroom overlooking Buffalo Lake, writing out her Notes in the AM-keeping in touch, lunches with friends and being full-time Grandma Char.

Always generous and supportive to her 4 kids, 10 grandchildren, 3+ great grandchildren, and countless grand-cats and dogs, in any and all of their different endeavors—whether scholastic, athletic, social, creative, business, educational, traveling the globe…we were all made to feel incredibly special with our talents.

Dad passed in June of 2000, leaving a huge empty space in all of us, Mom filled her time ferrying grandchildren to and fro in the Cadillac, being an after school drop-off Gma so someone could run to Cub, putting up entire families in her townhouse lower level while we built our houses, bringing out meals in the cooler while the next house was built, and going on weekends of junkets in the Jeep around the counties, to pick out just the right place to build the last house, welcoming new members into the family, she was involved and had a special bond with all.

Gracious, genteel and unassuming—entertaining educators and spouses at district events, hosting the Ladies Flower Shows, being Cookie Mom Manager of district 191, but a strong, no-nonsense woman as well­—Mom loved toast, Plain Everything, Grumpy Cat, Lipstick, White plates, Thanksgiving, Dogs, Fresh garden produce, Reading and re-reading her floor to ceiling novels, Looking up new words in the dictionary, Talking about ‘what’s new’ with you, Taking a day trip, KUWTK (much to our chagrin), and was an Observer of people.

She did not like mayonnaise, having her picture taken, talking just to talk, and was fond of saying “If you can’t say something nice, then don’t say anything at all”. She spoke her mind, perfected the snappy clap-back before that was a thing, let you know when she’d had enough of your company, but was perfectly happy to see you the next time, when you called, emailed or just stopped in for a visit.

Leaving us with heavy hearts and sadness, but immensely grateful she is now free of pain, free of suffering, and reclaiming her strength and dignity that Parkinson’s disease stole from her; she is Free, she is reunited with Dad, and we will relish our memories.

Preceded in death by husband; Merton Darrell (Mike) Miller; parents, Olive and Vern Hilgers; brother, Robert Hilgers; and brother-in-law, Jim Ackerman.

Remembered with love by sister and brother-in-law, Ginny & Larry Nehasil; brother, Mike Hilgers; sister-in-law, Janet Ackerman; sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Carole & Don Mattern; aunt, Cathryn Cowan; aunt-in-law, Nelle Rice; many other relatives, nieces and nephews, special neighbors & lifelong friends.

Leaving a legacy with Children and their spouses—Julie Miller, Mark & Gayle Miller, Jon & Pam Miller, Sara & Tony Graham; Grandchildren—Nathalie Miller Rinehardt (Tayt), Andrea Miller, Melisa (Matt) Hill; Mackenzie, Michael & Mary Miller; Sullivan, Mollie, Margaret & Kate Graham; Great grandchildren—Toren, Leif, & Landon (+ one on the way)

Mom has left Here, but she will never leave Us.

We love you.

A Memorial Service will be held Saturday, March 23, 2019 at 2 PM with visitation one hour prior at The Peterson Chapel of Buffalo.