Evelyn Gillian Miller, who we all knew as Jill, passed away peacefully on Saturday, Sept. 2. Everyone who knew Jill loved her. Being English, her loving way was very endearing, she would even call you “Love.” Born on Jan. 27, 1936, in Belfast, Ireland, she experienced a full life. She often talked of the Great War, hearing planes overhead, bombs being dropped, and living off of rations.
At the age of 18, she moved to Glasgow, Scotland, where she went to college to study business. At 22, in a tiny London club called The Brown Derby, she met a handsome American who was in the U.S. Air Force, named Larry Miller, and fell in love. A year later, Jill and Larry married in Bearsden, Scotland on Sept. 12, 1959. They lived in London two more years until Larry was discharged from the Air Force.
In 1961, they moved to Sturgis, Michigan, and then to Big Rapids, where they had their first son, Lawrence (Larry) Miller. Later, they moved to Ann Arbor, and had their second son, John Miller. When Larry got an engineering job in Colorado, they all moved to Glenwood Springs, and two years later moved again to Bainbridge Island in Washington State. Here she became known for her amazing flower gardens. She was a teacher, dedicated to helping children with special needs, and teaching kids how to read.
Nineteen years ago, she and Larry moved to the Methow Valley. First into a home in Edelweiss near Mazama, then seven years ago, into their present home in Winthrop. Everywhere Jill lived, she made deep friendships. She loved to tell stories of her life, share a good meal, a glass of red wine, and laughter with friends and family.
Jill was preceded in death by her siblings, Barry and Christine, and by her parents, Evelyn and John Jackson, of Yorkshire, England. She is survived by her husband, Larry, her two sons, Lawrence and John, and her daughter-in-law Kim. In lieu of donations, in her honor, go forward with love, share a meal with friends and family, and raise a glass of red wine to our dear Jill. She will be greatly missed. A small celebration of life will be held later this month.
