Marie Miller

Marie Ellen Miller, 83, of Arvada, Colorado passed away on November 27, 2020 at Clear Creek Care Center in Westminster, Colorado.  Born on January 8, 1937 in Camden, New Jersey, she was the daughter of the late William R. and Mary Ann E. (Mackie) Brennan.  She was a devoted wife for 60 years, a caring mother, and kind and loving grandmother.

Marie’s career in nursing began as a Flight Nurse in the United States Air Force and culminated as Director of the Area Health Education Center (AHEC) Program at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center.  AHEC provides multi-disciplinary educational programs to Colorado’s rural and underserved communities and is where Marie combined her passions for education and patient care.  Marie earned her B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in nursing and served many roles during her career, including Intensive Care Unit Nurse at Rose Medical Center, Interim Dean of the School of Nursing at University of Northern Colorado and Professor at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center.  In addition to her full-time positions, she also served as Program Director for the Colorado Nursing Task Force and was appointed by Governor Roy Romer to the Colorado State Board of Health.  In 1996, Marie was awarded the Nightingale Award for excellence in nursing by the Colorado Nurses Foundation.  Following her retirement, Marie continued to serve the healthcare community by reviewing federal grant applications.

Marie enjoyed life and spending time with her family, especially her two grandchildren (Brennan and Sienna) who were her pride and joy.  Marie’s kind soul and unconditional love will live on through them.  Marie loved to cook, paint, crochet, knit, go to the theatre and travel.  She loved the beach and always had a special place in her heart for her childhood home near Cape May, New Jersey.  Marie enjoyed travelling with friends and family and ventured to places such as Aruba, Bonaire, Canada, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, and the United Kingdom.

Marie was a person of great faith, and her Catholic faith both guided her and shaped who she was.  She was a devoted member of the Spirit of Christ Catholic Community in Arvada, Colorado.  Marie will be remembered for her kind and gentle spirit, warm demeanor, and unconditional love.  She always wore an effortless smile and accepted people with judgment-free compassion.

Marie is survived by her husband, Rodney R. Miller of Arvada; a son, Michael J. Miller of Commerce City; a daughter and son-in-law, Teresa A. Miller Cunningham and Bruce E. Cunningham of Denver; two grandchildren, Brennan and Sienna Cunningham of Denver; a sister and brother-in-law, Kathleen J. and Fred Muller; and ten nieces and nephews.  She was preceded in death by her sister, Judith A. Engel, and her brother and sister-in-law, William R. Brennan and Brenda Brennan.

A funeral service to honor Marie’s life will be held on Tuesday, December 8, 2020, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (Mountain Time).  Due to current health restrictions, her service will be live streamed via the Internet, and you are invited to join us via this link: https://bxcited.com/marieemiller/ A private burial service will follow thereafter at Fort Logan National Cemetery in Denver, Colorado

Contributions in Marie’s memory may be sent to the Alzheimer’s Association, 225 N. Michigan Avenue, 17th floor, Chicago, Illinois  60601 or at www.alz.org.