Michelle Miller Holmes
January 23, 1957- August 8, 2021
Michelle was born January 23, 1957 in Bozeman, Montana, the second child of Gary George and Katherine Hardy Miller while they were attending Montana State College; now Montana State University. She was the middle of ultimately 3 children; Mike, Michelle and Billy. Her two brothers loved to torment her on long cross country trips in Europe and the US. Our dad was in the U.S. Army so there were many. She would frequently get squished in the backseat by her brothers who fondly referred to her as “Mush”. Michelle was very close to both of her brothers throughout her life despite the trauma of being sandwiched on long trips. When her daughter Katie was born she was even open to the idea of holding out for a few more hours so Katie and Mike could share the same birthday; it was close.
Michelle made many epic trips with her family and brothers over the years and they were full of adventure. While traveling to Dad’s funeral in 2011, Mark, Michelle and nephews Arin and Mitch were rear ended during a white-out storm between Billings and Sidney, MT. Michelle’s oversized and abundance of luggage absorbed the collision and saved Arin and Mitch from possible severe whiplash. Some of the other trips included Glacier National Park, Yellowstone National Park, Outer Banks, Banff, Lake Louise and the Calgary Stampede in Canada, Portland, OR, and Seattle, WA. Over the years there have also been many crab feasts and family reunions at her home in Lusby, MD.
Michelle’s parents preceded her in death. Mom in 2006 and Dad in 2011. Michelle is survived by her husband Mark, daughter Katie, brothers Mike Miller (Sharon) of Clinton, MS and Bill Miller (Amanda) of Alexandria, VA, Uncle Art Miller (Kathy) of Philadelphia, PA, Uncle Bobby Miller of Phoenix, AZ, Uncle Frank Stottler of Fort Wayne, IN, Aunt Pattie Larson (Mike) of Hermiston, OR, Aunt Val Burnison (Bob) of Sidney, MT, nephews Arin Miller of Austin, TX, Mitch Miller of Denver, CO, Ryan Miller of Alexandra, VA, niece Tamara Wallace (Chad) of Edwards, MS, many cousins and many grand nephews and nieces. She is sorely missed but lives on in our minds and hearts.
Eulogy
My wife of 33 years passed away early Sunday morning after a long struggle with a relentless illness that she had a genetic predisposition for.
Michelle was one of the kindest, forgiving, and generous persons I have ever known. She touched a lot of lives who were better for having known and loved her. Her greatest personal triumph was marrying me and giving birth to our beautiful daughter Katie but not necessarily in that order J. Her greatest business triumph, that has become a legendary in Insurance circles, was the day she and her entire department staff declined to show up for work at AON Corp. on a Monday morning because they all moved en masse to the Rust Insurance Agency to create a new department. This was a magnificent coup that we both were proud of. Michelle had a very successful career as a VP at Rust before retiring due to the aforementioned illness.
Michelle had a wonderful time sailing the bay, skiing, traveling the world including SCUBA expeditions to various locales with Katie and I.
We are all going to miss the brightness that she brought to all of our lives.
May she rest in peace in the arms of our Lord and be reunited with her mother and father.
Good bye, dearest.
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16 Aug 2021
6:56pm
I first met Michelle when she came to our wedding in 1985. She always had a great smile and a hearty laugh. She had a good sense of humor, was warm hearted, gracious, kind, caring, sympathetic, and well loved by her family. It was a nice feeling to gain a sister-in-law. Although we lived miles apart, occasionally the family was able to meet up north for Christmas. I remember how much Michelle loved to buy and give presents, they would fill the room.
Michelle was a real “go-getter”, worked in the bustling city of Washington DC. She was ambitious, assertive, and worked her way up the ladder to become Vice President of an insurance company. I recall the time she became aware that an entire department in her firm was going to be laid off. She eagerly stepped out and found them all (and herself) new positions at another insurance company, same day.
Michelle loved to sail with her husband Mark and daughter Katie. She was a great cook, and one could find her whipping up delicious food. She loved seafood and there was always a fresh supply of blue crab they caught right out back in the Chesapeake Bay.
Michelle had an adventurous spirit and loved to travel. I loved the time we went zipping along the trails in snow mobiles in the beautiful White Mountains of New Hampshire. My first snow tubing experience, no experience necessary. Another family trip, was the big 2,000-mile trip touring Montana and Canada, stopping off to visit family along the way. We blended right in with our cowboy hats at the Calgary Stampede. And the memorable beach trip, we gathered the family and hit the Outer Banks enjoying the beauty and serenity of the ocean. Just a couple of years ago we all headed out to the great Northwest, staying in Portland we toured the Falls in Oregon, then on to Mt. St. Helens, Seattle, the Space Needle and cruising the Puget Sound.
Our hearts are saddened. You have been loved deeply. We will miss you Michelle and already are. Memories are like etched photographs in our minds; mostly of people we know and love, and one of those was Michelle. Our hope is in Jesus, we know we will see you in heaven one day.
Sharon Miller
City
Clinton
State
Mississippi
13 Sep 2022
6:44am
It has been over a year since the passing of “Aunt Michelle”. We got the opportunity to spend time with her and the rest of the family in 2000, 2011, & 2012. We look back on those trips with pleasant memories, thankful for the time we were able to spend with her and many others in the family. Our hearts are still heavy with the sorrow of her passing and the many challenges she faced prior to the loss felt by many from her absence. Our prayer is that all those who grieve over Michelle’s passing can find hope in Him who heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. (Psalm 147:3)
We know that the hope for life eternal rests in the promises of God in Christ Jesus. The promise that He would send His Son to die for the sins of man so that all who would place their trust in Him as Lord would not experience the eternal suffering promised as a result of those sins but rather have the eternal life of Christ in them, the very life revealed as He defeated death through His resurrection. We know that we who have put our trust in Him as well will see Michelle again if she too had placed her hope and trust in Him as her Lord of life. (see biyn.org or start with the book of John in the Bible to know more).
City
Bolton
State
MS
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I first met Michelle when she came to our wedding in 1985. She always had a great smile and a hearty laugh. She had a good sense of humor, was warm hearted, gracious, kind, caring, sympathetic, and well loved by her family. It was a nice feeling to gain a sister-in-law. Although we lived miles apart, occasionally the family was able to meet up north for Christmas. I remember how much Michelle loved to buy and give presents, they would fill the room.
Michelle was a real “go-getter”, worked in the bustling city of Washington DC. She was ambitious, assertive, and worked her way up the ladder to become Vice President of an insurance company. I recall the time she became aware that an entire department in her firm was going to be laid off. She eagerly stepped out and found them all (and herself) new positions at another insurance company, same day.
Michelle loved to sail with her husband Mark and daughter Katie. She was a great cook, and one could find her whipping up delicious food. She loved seafood and there was always a fresh supply of blue crab they caught right out back in the Chesapeake Bay.
Michelle had an adventurous spirit and loved to travel. I loved the time we went zipping along the trails in snow mobiles in the beautiful White Mountains of New Hampshire. My first snow tubing experience, no experience necessary. Another family trip, was the big 2,000-mile trip touring Montana and Canada, stopping off to visit family along the way. We blended right in with our cowboy hats at the Calgary Stampede. And the memorable beach trip, we gathered the family and hit the Outer Banks enjoying the beauty and serenity of the ocean. Just a couple of years ago we all headed out to the great Northwest, staying in Portland we toured the Falls in Oregon, then on to Mt. St. Helens, Seattle, the Space Needle and cruising the Puget Sound.
Our hearts are saddened. You have been loved deeply. We will miss you Michelle and already are. Memories are like etched photographs in our minds; mostly of people we know and love, and one of those was Michelle. Our hope is in Jesus, we know we will see you in heaven one day.
Sharon Miller
It has been over a year since the passing of “Aunt Michelle”. We got the opportunity to spend time with her and the rest of the family in 2000, 2011, & 2012. We look back on those trips with pleasant memories, thankful for the time we were able to spend with her and many others in the family. Our hearts are still heavy with the sorrow of her passing and the many challenges she faced prior to the loss felt by many from her absence. Our prayer is that all those who grieve over Michelle’s passing can find hope in Him who heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. (Psalm 147:3)
We know that the hope for life eternal rests in the promises of God in Christ Jesus. The promise that He would send His Son to die for the sins of man so that all who would place their trust in Him as Lord would not experience the eternal suffering promised as a result of those sins but rather have the eternal life of Christ in them, the very life revealed as He defeated death through His resurrection. We know that we who have put our trust in Him as well will see Michelle again if she too had placed her hope and trust in Him as her Lord of life. (see biyn.org or start with the book of John in the Bible to know more).