Nancy Shurtleff Miller

August 7, 1919 - September 12, 2020

Nancy S. Miller of Orinda, CA passed away peacefully in her home on September 12, 2020. She was 101 years young and was the loving matriarch of our family. She is predeceased by her childhood sweetheart and husband of sixty-one years George Willard Miller, Jr and sons Stephen Roy Miller and Roy Shurtleff Miller. She is survived by her daughters, Sandra Miller Rowe and Nancy Lawton Miller; her son and daughter in laws, Peter Hamlin Rowe and Terry Perrin Miller; eight grandchildren, twenty-four great grandchildren and her beloved dog, Prince. Nancy was born in San Mateo, CA to Roy and Hazle Shurtleff. She attended Piedmont High School, Castilleja High School and UC Berkeley where she was a member of the Kappa Kappa Gamma Sorority. After meeting in 3rd grade and dating most of their young lives, Willard and Nancy were engaged in March of 1940 in Nancy’s junior year at Cal. Nancy and Willard wed in August 1940 at the Shurtleff family ranch. Nancy took great pleasure in the many additions and improvements she oversaw to their home that they lived in for over 80 years.

Nancy was a prizewinning gardener, being a member of the Garden Club of America and Orinda Garden Club for over 70 years. She started building her garden in 1985 which became one of her life’s passions. Her magical parklike garden was complete with her beloved koi ponds, a gazebo, the peaceful sound of running water, a sprawling bridge, majestic oak trees, stunning dogwood trees and rhododendrons. These surroundings brought much happiness to a wide variety of friends and neighbors over the years, and especially Nancy’s family who had the honor of experiencing their weddings, engagements, rehearsal dinners, graduation teas, countless holidays and Nancy’s famous Easter scavenger hunts in this lovely spot.

More than anything, Nancy loved spending time with her family, who affectionately refer to her as Mema and Mimi. Family vacations at Echo Lake, Tahoe and the Hawaiian Islands were her favorite spots. Nancy and Willard were avid anglers and enjoyed their fly-fishing trips to Alaska, Oregon and New Zealand. She is described as being fiercely independent, having a steel trap memory (even as she surpassed age 100) and a quick wit. She was ahead of her time and many peers with her use of technology and never was without the latest gadget. She got a kick out of staying connected to her grandchildren and many great grandchildren through social media. In turn, they loved hearing the countless stories of her rebellious teenage years. Nancy also had a great love for all animals, especially her dogs. She was a long-time hospital volunteer, supporter of the Animal Rescue Foundation (ARF) and John Muir Hospital Foundation.

Nancy’s humility and ability to give the most sage of advice without judgement will be greatly missed. She will be remembered for her laugh that lit up a room, incredible life experiences and her insistence on the least amount of fanfare.

A private, family service will be held in Nancy’s honor. Memorial contributions may be made to the Animal Rescue Foundation (ARF) or John Muir Hospital Foundation.