Obituary for
Marie V. Miller (Kowalyk)
Marie V. Miller (nee Kowalyk), 90, died on May 31, 2017 after a long and full life. She leaves behind her daughter, Julianne Miller de Rivera and her husband, Eric and their 2 sons William and John Henry; and her daughter Alice Miller and her partner Amy Kapczynski, and their 2 sons, Milo, and Cyrus. Marie was predeceased by her husband of 42 years, William T. Miller, in 1997. Marie was born and raised in the Bronx. While in high school during World War II, she sewed parachutes for the US Air Force, learned Morse Code, and learned how to identify airplane silhouettes. She was the first member of her family to attend college. At Hunter College in New York, she majored in History and minored in Astronomy. One of her proudest moments was identifying an unusual bolide meteor which was registered to the international astronomical society in 1945. Marie, affectionately known by her students as 'Killer Miller,' taught at Simsbury High School for 43 years, retiring at the tender age of 84. Marie loved her many students in her 10th grade honors American Literature classes, her public speaking classes, and her film courses (which she introduced to the high school curriculum in 1970). Marie was the faculty adviser of the National Honor Society for 36 years. Throughout her career, Marie received numerous local and state awards honoring her for her enthusiasm, generosity, innovation, and academic rigor. She was famous for her letters of recommendation that were individual and detailed as they reflected her relationship with each student she knew. In addition, Marie traveled the world with her husband, taught Ukrainian Easter Egg Coloring in her neighborhood for many years, and was an early adopter of the Julia Child's art of French cooking technique. Marie's family would like to thank her longtime caregivers Nancy, Maisy, and Jackie; and of course, her wonderful neighbors, especially Jack. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Simsbury High School 34 Farms Village Road Simsbury, CT 06070 with a Memo line: Marie V. Miller Scholarship . Calling hours and informal gathering will be held at 68 Hildurcrest Drive, Simsbury, Connecticut on June 9th from 4p til 8p. Marie's family and Simsbury High School are planning an event for the fall in tribute to the legacy of Marie Miller.
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