Eleanor Josephine Miller

Eleanor Josephine Schaub Miller was given eternal life with God the Father on August 20, 2012 after succumbing quickly from complications of a hip fracture. Eleanor was the second child of Charlie and Gwendolyn Schaub born on May 30, 1915 in San Mateo County, California. A mining accident brought a new father to the family and Eleanor quickly filled the role of being "Daddy's Little Girl" for Glen Myers.

Eleanor spent her youth in the Marina District of San Francisco where she watched the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge. She attended San Mateo Junior College in and earned an Associate of Arts degree in Merchandising. As a young woman, Eleanor rode the trolley car to work every day where she proudly served as the Personnel Director at JC Penney Company in downtown San Francisco for many years.

Eleanor transitioned to wife and mother when she married Slaton Munsus Miller in 1946. The couple relocated to Hawthorne, California where they promptly started their own family. When the family business, Western Label Company, moved to Alhambra, the Miller family settled in the community of South Pasadena and became members of Oneonta Congregational Church where Eleanor participated in the women's ministry.

Eleanor took great pride in being a homemaker. She was an accomplished seamstress, sewing work shirts for her husband and clothes for her children. She also excelled in the kitchen creating family favorites like chicken potpie that are still talked about to this day. She delighted baking her secret "Gum Drop Cookie" recipe for family and friends. Eleanor also enjoyed gardening and had mastered the art of turning cuttings into new plants as a way to save money. She loved flowers.

Eleanor and her husband enjoyed the company of many friends over the years, at one point moving to another home in South Pasadena to be closer to them. The pair were part of a bridge club and entertained regularly. Playing cards continued to be Eleanor's favorite pastime up until her death – she could often be found sitting quietly working a deck of cards in a game of Solitaire. And of course, she always won.

Eleanor also enjoyed golfing with lady friends at the Arroyo Seco Golf Course after the housework was done and before her kids came home from school. She swam at the YMCA for recreational exercise, and never turned down a trip to the shopping mall. Eleanor attended numerous craft classes over the years and has left behind a sizable collection of hand-made objects like Christmas ornaments, placemats, coffee mug mats, needlepoint crafts and other items for her family to cherish.

After retiring in the mid-1980's Eleanor and her husband bought a motorhome and enjoyed travelling near constantly for several years. A trip on the Copper River Train in Mexico was a highlight for them both. As a person who enjoys playing games, Eleanor also enjoyed their frequent trips to Las Vegas. She said she loved travelling and seeing new things, but was always glad to get back home.

Eleanor spent the last fifth of her life as a widow following her husband's death in 1993. She joined the women's BPOE club and enjoyed the comradery of many sisters by attending the organization's events and meetings. She also relished the freedom of driving her blue Chevy Impala around town – shopping, visiting friends and family, and swimming at the Y, until age 90. Eleanor relocated to Atherton Baptist Home in 2001 upon the recommendations of her friends and her deep-seated personal desire not to be a burden on her children. At Atherton, Eleanor made many new friends and discovered a new game: Bingo. Eleanor spent the past seven years in Companion Care and was ever thankful for the quality care and love she received. She looked forward to her regular outings and special holidays with her family.

Throughout life Eleanor cherished her family. She often said "Oh, to be with my family!" She loved life's celebrations and holiday gatherings and believed life was sweeter with a taste of milk chocolate and sip of Chardonnay. She will be remembered as a classy lady who had a bright smile and kind word for everyone she met. Her vibrant spirit and easy sense of humor will be sorely missed by those who knew her best.

Eleanor was preceded in death by her parents, sister Mildred _________ and husband. She is survived by her children Thomas Miller and Linda Ralph, seven grand children, eight great-grand children, and several nieces and nephews and tons of people who simply loved her. A Memorial Service will begin at 10 a.m. on Saturday, August 25, 2012 at Merriam Chapel on the grounds of Atherton Baptist Home in Alhambra, California, followed by a light lunch reception. A private internment service will be held at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, CA where Eleanor will be laid to rest next to her beloved husband.