Ruth Marion Miller

On August 8th at 10:00 PM, Ruth Marion Miller, passed away peacefully, surrounded by her loving husband, children and grandchildren, after a valiant and remarkable 4 year battle with pancreatic cancer. Her final years were characteristic of how Ruth lived her whole life, full of optimism, energy, and a stubborn unwillingness to give up. She was a source of hope and inspiration for many fellow cancer victims, particularly pancreatic cancer victims who are told they have a 20% chance of surviving one year from diagnosis. Through a combination of traditional and alternative therapies and pure strength of character, Ruth showed that this didn’t have to be the case, outliving all her Doctor’s prognoses to watch her grandchildren grow and see the birth of two great grandchildren.

She was born Ruth Marion Lawrence, on March 5th, 1939 in Methuen, Massachusetts. She moved across the country to Southern California in her early 20s with her young family, before heading to Placerville CA in 1978 to build a log home with her husband, Jim, starting a mini farm and nurturing a lifelong love of gardening, cooking and animals that she passed on to her children and grandchildren. Later she and Jim followed their son, Duane, to Vashon Island, WA for a brief stay before moving to Orcas Island in 1993 where they built their dream home and lived until 2004. She and Jim were active members of the Orcas Community, participating in Kiwanis, the Garden Club and Friends of the Library. In 2004 Ruth and Jim started one more adventure, moving to Sorrento, BC before returning to Vashon Island in 2008 to be near family and medical care.

This vibrant, loving woman will be dearly missed by her surviving husband, James Miller (Vashon Island), brother Alan Lawrence (Bull Head City, AZ), daughter Tracie Deming (San Isidro, Costa Rica), sons, Dean and Duane Bedard (Vashon Island, WA), step daughter Jammie Rodriguez (Livermore, CA) stepson Darren Miller (Rancho Cucamonga, CA) along with 7 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren. A celebration of Ruth’s life will be held on Orcas Island on September 26, 2009, all are welcome to attend.

Her children would like to publically honor her loving husband and our stepfather/father, Jim, for his selfless and amazing care for our Mom right up to the end. You are amazing, Jim and we know God placed you in Mom’s life to be there for her in a way no one else would have been able to do.

(paid obituary)