Obituary of Diane Miller

Diane Miller passed away peacefully on Tuesday, June 22, 2021, in Capitola, California with her son, Greg, and husband, Jim, at her side. She touched many lives with her kindness, great sense of humor, creativity, and style. Diane was born in Pasadena, California to Grace and Earl Jelley. She is survived by James Francis Miller, her loving husband of 58 years. Diane and Jim were blessed with four children who they raised in San Jose, California; daughter Jackie (husband Tom Anderson) of West Linn, Oregon; son Jim (wife Gina McClard), of Bend, Oregon; son Mike (wife Allie Hary) of Tigard, Oregon, and son Greg (partner Andrea Beltrami), of Capitola, California; and her six treasured grandchildren, Wren, Weston, Grace, Sam, Lilah and Jax. She is also survived by her beloved sister, Sister Jacqueline Jelley of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After attending Mayfield School in Pasadena, Diane went on to graduate from Dominican University of California in San Rafael in 1954 with a degree in Ele-mentary Education. Diane was a consummate teacher, whether dressing up as “The Letter Lady” or deftly wielding a hand puppet, she connected with children, making them feel special, evoking laughter, and igniting their passion to learn new things. These talents transferred into her most cherished roles as a mother and grandmother. Diane loved traveling to Europe and Mexico. Her favorite travel destination was Italy, specifically Positano and Florence. The ocean always made her feel calm and connected to nature and God. Some of her best memories were with family and friends at Pajaro Dunes in Watsonville. A gifted painter, who enjoyed playing bocce ball and reading, Diane was an amazing hostess – whether a child’s birthday, a holiday gathering, or an elegant dinner party – everything she did was done with class, charm and a twinkle in her eye. She was both fun and funny; and in the midst of her elegance she demonstrated a disarming sense of humor that immediately put people at ease. Her style was to be emulated. She surrounded herself with beauty, but the most beautiful thing about her life was her love for her family, her friends, and her preschool students. She will be greatly missed by everyone who knew and loved her. She will be remembered and admired as a wonderful wife, a loving mother, a warm friend. (And the sales team at Nordstrom will miss her too.) A celebration of life will be held at a future date to be determined. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Hospice of Santa Cruz County or the charity of your choice, if desired.