Irene Delores Kelly Miller passed away peacefully at home on Sunday, March 2, 2025, surrounded by family in North Highlands, California, at the age of 100. She was born July 21, 1924, in Worcester, Massachusetts to Lucy Johnson Kelly and Weslley Brigley. She grew up in various communities in the state.
In 1942, on the Worcester Commons, she met a young soldier from Indiana named Albert E. Miller. After a whirlwind romance and courtship, they were married in Worcester on December 3, 1942. Albert was deployed to North Africa and Italy while Irene stayed in Worcester. In May of 1944, Albert was wounded in the invasion of Anzio, Italy, and eventually sent to Camp Atterbury in Indiana for rehabilitation. Irene moved to Indiana to live on the family farm and eventually became a civilian employee at Atterbury.
After the war ended, they moved to Napolean, Indiana where their sons, Gary (1946) and Melvin (1947) were born. In 1952 the family moved to Batesville, Indiana where they fixed up one house, built a new house, bought a 100-acre farm, built another new house on that farm and then moved into its basement in 1965. In 2004 Albert and Irene moved to Aurora, Indiana to be close to family. In 2011, Albert died and in 2015, Irene moved to California to live with Melvin and Julia.
Irene was a vibrant curious inventive highly skilled multifaceted person. She graduated from the David Fanning Technical High School for Girls in Worcester where she learned the dietician skills that were the foundation of one of her greatest passions – cooking. She was a homemaker, a whiskey taster at Seagrams, a licensed beautician, a waitress at The Ship Bar, and a dispatcher for 20 years with Hillenbrand. She loved music and taught herself to play the piano and organ.
Irene made friends wherever she went, whether it was square dancing, playing cards, quilting, making clothes, or learning stained glass. She and Albert took many road trips to Worcester, British Columbia, and the WWII Thunderbird Division reunions and was a proud member of the Thunder Dollies. They took their grandchildren, Geoffrey and Christina on many vacations. When Albert was no longer able to travel, she made some road trips with Gary to Massachusetts, North Carolina, Florida, and St. Louis.
Besides her parents and her husband, Irene was preceded in death by her seven siblings James, Mary, Helen, Arthur, Harris, Adele and John, as well as grandchildren Alexander, Kelly, and Geoffrey.
She is survived by sons Gary (Linda) Miller in Madison, WI and Melvin (Julia) Miller in North Highland, CA; grandchildren Christina (Timothy) Miller Kent and Andrew (Melissa) Miller; great-grandchildren Sarah (Shane) Oelker, Bradley Miller, Hunter Kent, Mackenzie Kent, Lauren Kent, Preston Miller and Colton Miller; and great-great grandchildren Wesley and Owen Oelker; many nieces and nephews scattered along the east coast from Massachusetts to Florida, as well as in-laws Nancy (Doug) Jeffries and Tricia (Chuck) Dehne who played a big part in her life.
Visitation will be Saturday, March 15, 2025, from 10:00-11:00 am immediately followed by funeral services at 11:00 am all at St. Marks Lutheran Church in Batesville, Indiana. Pastor Jill K. Campbell officiating. Burial will follow at St. John Lutheran Church Cemetery (Hubbells) in Sunman, Indiana next to Albert.
Please feel free to leave a memory or message of comfort for Irene’s family in the online guestbook at www.meyersfuneralhomes.com.