Nancy June Morison Miller, a long-time resident of Swarthmore, passed away due to natural causes at White Horse Village in Newtown Square on January 6, 2020. She was 95.
Born on June 10, 1924, in Elle's Hospital in Schenectady, New York, Nancy grew up in Short Hills, New Jersey, the daughter of Ralph and Esther Morison. Nancy's only sibling, Elizabeth, passed away in 2016. Nancy graduated from Milburn High School in 1940 and then attended Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, New York, where she received her B.A. in English in 1945. She married Peter Paul Miller Jr., the true love of her life, on June 30, 1945. A devoted and loving wife, Nancy was married to Peter for over 70 years, until he passed away in 2015.
Always the first to extend a cheerful and friendly greeting, she approached every day with a positive and enthusiastic spirit. Family and friends were frequently the beneficiaries of her culinary skills and her generous hospitality. She was a true lady, generous of spirit, and a life-long learner. At the same time, she was a determined and fierce competitor, as anyone who played a game against her can testify. Nancy loved American history and was a docent at Winterthur Museum in Delaware. Always a supporter of the arts, Nancy was known for her own creative skills. She was an avid gardener and a long-time member of the Swarthmore Garden Club, where she frequently placed prize-winning entries in the Philadelphia Flower Show. Nancy enjoyed volunteering for a number of non-profit organizations and was a long-time member of the P.E.O. Sisterhood. Nancy and Peter were active and dedicated members of the Swarthmore Presbyterian Church for over 60 years, both singing in the choir. Nancy enjoyed serving as an elder and a deacon.
Since she was five, Nancy and her family vacationed in the Adirondack Mountains, at Blue Mountain Lake, New York, in the summer. Nancy's passion for nature and her love of fishing was evidenced by the fact that she taught her children and grandchildren how to use crayfish to catch smallmouth bass. Her genuine connection to the region was demonstrated through her long-time support for Paul Smith's College and many museums in the area.
Nancy is survived by her three children, Peter Paul Miller, III, and his wife Lea Perez of Chevy Chase, Maryland; Christina Suzanne Sargent and her husband David of Ashburnham, Massachusetts; and Geoffrey Morison Miller and his wife Pamela of Lutherville, Maryland. She is also survived by eight grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, donations in her honor can be made to the Swarthmore Presbyterian Church or to Paul Smith's College.
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on January 18 at Swarthmore Presbyterian Church, 727 Harvard Ave. Reception to follow.
Arrangements provided by Rigby Harting & Hagan Funeral Home, 15 E. 4th St., Media.
