Obituary for Maureen Beth Miller
Maureen Beth Miller, age 63, of Garden City, Kansas passed away on March 14, 2023, after a brief, but valiant, fight with cancer.
Maureen was born on July 21, 1959, in Northeast, Pennsylvania to Ted and Eleanor Miller. Some of her favorite memories were of growing up in this idyllic hometown surrounded by the love of her parents and siblings. She enjoyed theater, cheerleading, and bowling in addition to hanging out with her best friend of over 50 years Susan (Videtto) Jenkinson. Her love of the beach also started here as one of her favorite pastimes was searching for sea glass on the shores of Lake Erie.
Upon high school graduation she enlisted in the US Army and was stationed in Tacoma, Washington from 1977-1979. Following her military service she moved to Colorado Springs, CO initially and then to Garden City, KS in 1981. There she raised her children and met her “blue” family when she joined the Garden City Police Department in 1986 as a 911 Dispatcher. She loyally served the community of Garden City, KS for 30 years promoting through the ranks of Communications Training Officer, Supervisor, and Senior Supervisor until her retirement in 2016. Upon retirement she returned to her hometown where she cared for her aging parents and after their passings in 2017 she returned to Garden City, KS. During retirement she enjoyed spending time with family and especially loved her part-time job at Boot Hill in Dodge City.
She had a passion for journaling and art of all kinds, visiting as many museums and craft shows as time would allow. She was a recreational runner/walker and enjoyed bird watching. In addition, she loved watching sports of all kinds, but especially loved the Olympics and to cheer on the Buffalo Sabres, New York Yankees, and KU basketball.
She is survived by her children Katie Hernandez and her husband Javier of Garden City, KS, Patty Wheet and her husband David of Olathe, KS, Megan Yardley and her fiancée Kenny Thomas of Lenexa, KS, Jordan Yardley of Garden City KS, and bonus daughter Brianna (Young) Hook and her husband Aric of Kingman, KS; grandchildren Rhys and Conor Wheet of Olathe, KS, Ariana and Kiera Wheet of Garden City, KS, Matthew Hernandez of Garden City, KS and Everett, Elias, Ezra, and Elora Hook of Kingman, KS; great grandchild Harley Unruh of Garden City, KS; siblings Michelle Miller of Akron, OH, Kelly Trulock and her husband Greg of Belle Isle, FL and Cathleen Diehl of Augusta, GA; her best friend Susan Jenkinson and her husband Jax of Waxhaw, NC; and numerous nieces and nephews.
She is preceded in death by her parents Ted and Eleanore Miller (2017); siblings Patrick Miller (1993), Colleen Miller Pagan (1998), and Michael Miller (2010); and bonus daughter Brittany Young (2006).
A Memorial Service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 1, 2023, at Garnand Funeral Home in Garden City with Rev. Warren Stecklein officiating. Military Funeral Honors will also be conducted by the Kansas Army National Guard Honor Guard. A private family interment will take place at a later date. There will be no calling hours. The family suggests memorials given to the Gastric Cancer Fund or to the Sea Turtle Conservancy, both in care of the funeral home. Condolences may be given at garnandfuneralhomes.com.
Maureen was born on July 21, 1959, in Northeast, Pennsylvania to Ted and Eleanor Miller. Some of her favorite memories were of growing up in this idyllic hometown surrounded by the love of her parents and siblings. She enjoyed theater, cheerleading, and bowling in addition to hanging out with her best friend of over 50 years Susan (Videtto) Jenkinson. Her love of the beach also started here as one of her favorite pastimes was searching for sea glass on the shores of Lake Erie.
Upon high school graduation she enlisted in the US Army and was stationed in Tacoma, Washington from 1977-1979. Following her military service she moved to Colorado Springs, CO initially and then to Garden City, KS in 1981. There she raised her children and met her “blue” family when she joined the Garden City Police Department in 1986 as a 911 Dispatcher. She loyally served the community of Garden City, KS for 30 years promoting through the ranks of Communications Training Officer, Supervisor, and Senior Supervisor until her retirement in 2016. Upon retirement she returned to her hometown where she cared for her aging parents and after their passings in 2017 she returned to Garden City, KS. During retirement she enjoyed spending time with family and especially loved her part-time job at Boot Hill in Dodge City.
She had a passion for journaling and art of all kinds, visiting as many museums and craft shows as time would allow. She was a recreational runner/walker and enjoyed bird watching. In addition, she loved watching sports of all kinds, but especially loved the Olympics and to cheer on the Buffalo Sabres, New York Yankees, and KU basketball.
She is survived by her children Katie Hernandez and her husband Javier of Garden City, KS, Patty Wheet and her husband David of Olathe, KS, Megan Yardley and her fiancée Kenny Thomas of Lenexa, KS, Jordan Yardley of Garden City KS, and bonus daughter Brianna (Young) Hook and her husband Aric of Kingman, KS; grandchildren Rhys and Conor Wheet of Olathe, KS, Ariana and Kiera Wheet of Garden City, KS, Matthew Hernandez of Garden City, KS and Everett, Elias, Ezra, and Elora Hook of Kingman, KS; great grandchild Harley Unruh of Garden City, KS; siblings Michelle Miller of Akron, OH, Kelly Trulock and her husband Greg of Belle Isle, FL and Cathleen Diehl of Augusta, GA; her best friend Susan Jenkinson and her husband Jax of Waxhaw, NC; and numerous nieces and nephews.
She is preceded in death by her parents Ted and Eleanore Miller (2017); siblings Patrick Miller (1993), Colleen Miller Pagan (1998), and Michael Miller (2010); and bonus daughter Brittany Young (2006).
A Memorial Service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 1, 2023, at Garnand Funeral Home in Garden City with Rev. Warren Stecklein officiating. Military Funeral Honors will also be conducted by the Kansas Army National Guard Honor Guard. A private family interment will take place at a later date. There will be no calling hours. The family suggests memorials given to the Gastric Cancer Fund or to the Sea Turtle Conservancy, both in care of the funeral home. Condolences may be given at garnandfuneralhomes.com.