Person Sheet
NameESTHER CATHERINE MILLER 
Birth22 May 1920, CANOVA TWP, MINER, SOUTH DAKOTA
Death28 Jun 2003, WICHITA, KANSAS
Burial30 Jun 2003, WICHITA, KANSAS
BaptismMay 1920, HOWARD, MINER, SOUTH DAKOTA
OccupationNUN
NicknameSISTER TOMASINE
FatherJOHN BERNARD MILLER (1888-1972)
MotherCECELIA MARIE ESSER (1894-1930)
Obituary
With her two sisters at her bedside, Sister Esther Marie Miller entered eternal life at 4:15 am on Saturday, June 28, 2003, at the Wichita Center. She was 83 years of age, and a professed Adorer for 66 years.
esther Catherine Miller was born to John and Cecilia (Esser) Miller on May 22, 1920, at Howard, South Dakota. The family later moved to Polo, SD, whhere Esther attended St Libouius School, taught by the Benedictines.
Sadness touched Esther’s happy family when she was only ten years old. Her mother died at a very young age. With deep faith and love, John Miller kept his four daughters as a loving family, maintaining the happy, prayerful spirit they had always known.
In August 1934, at the age of 14, Esther visited the Adorers in Ruma, Illinois, with her dad, a cousin of Mother Mary Stella Schulte, Ruma Provincial. It was then that Esther saw an Adorer for the first time, and seemed immediately to believe that God was calling her to that community. She entered the postulancy on December 30, 1934, and received the habit of the Adorers and the name Sister Thomasine on July 1, 1935. She professed first vows on July 2, 1936, and perpetual vows on July 1, 1941.
Allergies and asthma bacame health problems early in her professional career, so Sister Thomasine, versatile and docile, bounced back and forth from experiences in office work, teaching, and hospital services, both in the Ruma and Wichita Province areas. Then on July 29, 1948, for health reasons, Sister Thomasine was transfered permanently to teh Wichita Province. Her name was then changed to Sister Esther Marie.
Sister Esther Marie’s high school education was at the Precious Blood Institute, Ruma, IL. In 1963, she earned a B.S. Degree in Education from Sacred Heart College, Wichita, now Newman University, and in 1970 received her Nursing Home Administrator License.
Sister Esther Marie’s professional journey took her to teaching postiions in Illinois, Kansas and Colorado, and to hospitals and Homes for the Aging in New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Nebraska. She also served on the Governor’s Nursing Home Advisory Board in Nebraska.
As she gave services between educationadn health ministries, she easily found ways to touch the lives of the elderly. Being sponsor for Junior Red Cross in her educational experiences led her to become intereste in a position with the elderly. It was not without struggle, however, that she gave up teaching, but after discernment an trust in Providence, she felt God was calling her to administration at St Joseph Villa, David City, Nebraska. Her service there began in February 1969.
As nursing home administrator she saw her ministry through the eyes of a teacher. Her classroom was ‘older’ but just as active, and she kept the residents involved with community, and the community with the residents. For 22 happy years, Sister Esther Maie brought warm, healing, holy moments to them. She gave of herself generously, faithfully, and lovingly.
In 1994 Sister Esther Marie moved tothe Wichita Center for the much-deserved retirement. Always gentle in spirit and proper in decorum, she kept involved in community living. Her creative ideas brought seasonal changes to living areas at the Center. Decorations were her delight, as was also the joy of being a cousin to Mother Mary Stella.
On April 11, 2002, as physical and mental powers began to weaken, Sister Esther Marie moved into Health Care. She was pleasant, personable and prayerful, a silent adorer of her God. Throughout the years, she had always said ‘Yes’ to all that God asked, so too, in these last years, she was saying yes to every question asked of her. Nurses and visitors learned to work their questions to receive her ready smile and her one-word answer ‘Yes’.
Her health failed fast in early June, and her two sisters came to be with her during these last weeks. They were with her as she qeacefully breathed her last and went to be with her God forever
Preceding her in death are her parents, John and Cecilia Miller, and her older sister Pauline Loomer. Her two younger sisters Rosemary Miller and Wanelda Martinmaas, and eight nieces and eight nephews survive Sister.
esther Catherine Miller was born to John and Cecilia (Esser) Miller on May 22, 1920, at Howard, South Dakota. The family later moved to Polo, SD, whhere Esther attended St Libouius School, taught by the Benedictines.
Sadness touched Esther’s happy family when she was only ten years old. Her mother died at a very young age. With deep faith and love, John Miller kept his four daughters as a loving family, maintaining the happy, prayerful spirit they had always known.
In August 1934, at the age of 14, Esther visited the Adorers in Ruma, Illinois, with her dad, a cousin of Mother Mary Stella Schulte, Ruma Provincial. It was then that Esther saw an Adorer for the first time, and seemed immediately to believe that God was calling her to that community. She entered the postulancy on December 30, 1934, and received the habit of the Adorers and the name Sister Thomasine on July 1, 1935. She professed first vows on July 2, 1936, and perpetual vows on July 1, 1941.
Allergies and asthma bacame health problems early in her professional career, so Sister Thomasine, versatile and docile, bounced back and forth from experiences in office work, teaching, and hospital services, both in the Ruma and Wichita Province areas. Then on July 29, 1948, for health reasons, Sister Thomasine was transfered permanently to teh Wichita Province. Her name was then changed to Sister Esther Marie.
Sister Esther Marie’s high school education was at the Precious Blood Institute, Ruma, IL. In 1963, she earned a B.S. Degree in Education from Sacred Heart College, Wichita, now Newman University, and in 1970 received her Nursing Home Administrator License.
Sister Esther Marie’s professional journey took her to teaching postiions in Illinois, Kansas and Colorado, and to hospitals and Homes for the Aging in New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Nebraska. She also served on the Governor’s Nursing Home Advisory Board in Nebraska.
As she gave services between educationadn health ministries, she easily found ways to touch the lives of the elderly. Being sponsor for Junior Red Cross in her educational experiences led her to become intereste in a position with the elderly. It was not without struggle, however, that she gave up teaching, but after discernment an trust in Providence, she felt God was calling her to administration at St Joseph Villa, David City, Nebraska. Her service there began in February 1969.
As nursing home administrator she saw her ministry through the eyes of a teacher. Her classroom was ‘older’ but just as active, and she kept the residents involved with community, and the community with the residents. For 22 happy years, Sister Esther Maie brought warm, healing, holy moments to them. She gave of herself generously, faithfully, and lovingly.
In 1994 Sister Esther Marie moved tothe Wichita Center for the much-deserved retirement. Always gentle in spirit and proper in decorum, she kept involved in community living. Her creative ideas brought seasonal changes to living areas at the Center. Decorations were her delight, as was also the joy of being a cousin to Mother Mary Stella.
On April 11, 2002, as physical and mental powers began to weaken, Sister Esther Marie moved into Health Care. She was pleasant, personable and prayerful, a silent adorer of her God. Throughout the years, she had always said ‘Yes’ to all that God asked, so too, in these last years, she was saying yes to every question asked of her. Nurses and visitors learned to work their questions to receive her ready smile and her one-word answer ‘Yes’.
Her health failed fast in early June, and her two sisters came to be with her during these last weeks. They were with her as she qeacefully breathed her last and went to be with her God forever
Preceding her in death are her parents, John and Cecilia Miller, and her older sister Pauline Loomer. Her two younger sisters Rosemary Miller and Wanelda Martinmaas, and eight nieces and eight nephews survive Sister.
Spouses