Mercedes Montoliu Miller
Sept 7, 1929 Aug 29, 2018
On Wednesday, August 29, 2018, Mercedes ‘Cedes’ Montoliu Miller, passed away peacefully of natural causes at home in Tiburon, CA, at the age of 88, surrounded by her two sons and life companion of 30 years.
Mercedes was born on September 7, 1929, in Barcelona, Spain to Carlos and Pilar de Montoliu, Barones de Albi. She was raised and educated in Spain, and was married in 1952 to Alejandro de Echeguren of San Francisco and San Sebastian, Spain. They settled in San Francisco, where Alejandro managed his family business. In 1953, Cedes gave birth to Alex Echeguren of San Francisco, and in 1954, to Juan Miller of Mill Valley. In 1955 she married Paul A. Miller of San Francisco, and became the loving stepmother to Robert, Christian, Charles and Gordon Miller. That marriage ended in 1978, and in 1988 she met Paul “Tendy” ten Doesschate of Tiburon, CA. They immediately fell in love and were inseparable for the rest of her life.
When Cedes walked into a room heads would turn. It was impossible to ignore her style, beauty, laugh and joie de vivre. She spoke several languages and spent much of her time travelling the world with her longtime love, Tendy. Living a bi-continental life, Cedes would return each summer to her country home “Montsonis”, the family feudal estate in the foothills of the Spanish Pyrenees Mountains. Cedes was a fixture at the San Francisco Cotillion and Opera. She participated religiously in her weekly bridge game for forty years. Cedes especially loved attending parties, entertaining and cooking fabulous meals for friends and family, which frequently involved some dancing.
Her dearest friends ranged wildly by age and background. She was equally at ease attending elegant social events, dancing in her basement discothèque, or sitting alone painting landscapes in the country. If she liked someone or something, it was a passion. Cedes was a talented decorative and Trompe-l’oeil artist, and continued to take master art classes well into her seventies. Her work was often mistaken for beautifully painted antiques and collectibles.
Despite living in San Francisco for 66 years, she always kept the best parts of her Spanish heritage, including her charming accent and “fabulos” choice phrases.
Cedes was preceded in death by her mother and father, Carlos and Pilar de Montoliu, Barones de Albi of Barcelona, and her sister in law, Pilar de Montoliu, Marquesa de Cartella de Sabastida of Madrid, and her stepson, Gordon Miller of Santa Fe, NM. Cedes is survived by her two brothers, Carlos (and Anina) de Montoliu, Barones de Albi of Montsonis, and Alfonso de Montoliu, Marques de Cartella de Sabastida of Madrid, and her two sisters, Maria Josefa de Montoliu of Marbella, and Mariana (and Marcello), Condes de Salimei of Rome. She also is survived by her sons, Alex (and Simone) Echeguren, of San Francisco, and Juan (and Joan) Miller of Mill Valley, and three stepsons, Robert Miller of New York, Charles (and Kim) Miller of Virginia City, MT, and Christian Miller of Missoula, MT, by three grandchildren, Isabella and Nicholas Miller, and Andrew Echeguren, as well as by numerous step grandchildren, nieces, and nephews.
A Memorial Service will be held at 2:00 p.m., on Wednesday, September 19, 2018, at St. Dominic’s Church, 2590 Bush Street, San Francisco, CA.