Joan Miller

Joan passed away peacefully on August 28th at her home, surrounded by the love of her family, just one week after celebrating her 90th birthday. Nothing brought her greater joy than spending time with her children Chad (Jane) Miller of Lupton, MI, Scot (Cathy) Miller of Rochester Hills, MI, Wendy (Greg) Smolarek of Shelby Twp, MI, 9 grandchildren - Bret (Emily Franckowiak) Miller, Derek (Megan Greszler) Miller, Justin (Sarah) Smolarek, Jenna (Zac) Burns, Ben Miller, Jamie Miller, Christian Miller, Jessica Smolarek and Luke Miller and 3 great grandchildren - Leo and Kepa Smolarek and Barrett Burns. This was a party she had been looking forward to for months. The love in her house that day filled the universe. Her family was truly the center of her world. Joan and her beloved husband (Chuck) of more than 61 years before Chuck's passing in January of 2018, were high school sweethearts at Avondale High School where Joan was a cheerleader and played basketball before graduating as valedictorian. Joan is pre-deceased in death by her parents Raoul and Muriel Hermann, survived by her sister Neta (Roger) O'Brien, and predeceased in death by her sister Judy (Terry) Bublitz. As children, we always knew how deeply we were loved. Joan devoted her life to raising us, guiding us and being there for us through every chapter of our lives. Even when she reentered the workforce as a bookkeeper, her family remained her primary focus. That continued throughout her lifetime, as she attended every sporting event and activity of all of her grandchildren as well. And loved every second of it. She leaves behind a lifetime of beautiful memories from all those who loved her. A few examples being her sister Neta whose weekly visits she treasured and always looked forward to with great anticipation, the Gohm's subdivision friends and their up north shenanigans, her workforce friends who remained friends years later and of course the amazing neighbors whom she loved seeing every day. RIP MaJoan. (She absolutely loved that nickname created by the great grandchildren.) Though she will be deeply missed, her impact and love will never be forgotten. There will not be any public visitations or services for Joan. The family asks all those who loved her to keep thinking of fond memories that include her and keep her in your prayers.

Joan Miller

August 21, 1936 - August 28, 2026