Mary Miller
December 14, 2013
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Service Details
Mary (Parenza) Miller, 77, passed away on Saturday, December 14, 2013 at Mercy Hospice-Johnston. She was born on September 29, 1936 in Melrose, Iowa to Attilio and Amelia (Bof) Parenza.
Mary graduated from Melrose High School and Marycrest College in Davenport, Iowa. She was a public school teacher in Melrose, Lone Tree, Wilton Junction, Iowa and Newport, Rhode Island. Mary later worked as a customer service representative and trainer at J.C. Penney in West Des Moines. She was a member of the National Educational Association and St. Pius Church in Urbandale. Mary was a great cook and loved feeding her friends and family.
She is survived by her loving husband of over 30 years, Jerry L. Miller; son, Brian (Tricia) Scieszinksi and their children, Benjamin, Rachel and Laura; step-children, Jerry Miller II, Shawn (Shannon) Miller and their children, Samantha, Shawn, Jr. and Seth; Shannon (Mike) Watson and their children, Averi and Kade; and Blayne (Shelley) Miller and their children, Tanner, Prydein and Lochlann.
She was preceded in death by her sisters, Ginny VanSickle, Ida Shehan, Yolanda Barnes; brothers, Joe and John Parenza; and her parents.
Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, December 17, 2013 at St. Pius X Catholic Church, 3663 66th Street, Urbandale, IA, with entombment to follow at Resthaven Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 4 – 7 p.m. Monday at Hamilton’s Funeral Home, 605 Lyon Street, Des Moines with a Vigil Service at 6:30 p.m.
Condolences may be expressed at:
www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com
Richard and Nancy Shaffer
12/25/2013
Brian and Jerry and family,
I was so saddened today to hear of your Mother's passing. She was a wonderful, sweet, special person who, as you've said, cared so much for others. I enjoyed the things you said in your eulogy, Brian and saw that in her also. I feel so blessed to have had the opportunity to have know her all these years. I'm glad that we stopped to see her and Jerry during the summer. Your Mother was a special, caring person and is in God's arms now. I feel like I have a special Angel watching over us. Take care.
Chris Witmer
12/23/2013
Sorry to hear of Mary's passing. She was one of my teachers in junior high at Wilton IA. I often wondered what happened to her after she left Wilton school. She was a very nice lady. My thoughts and prayers go out to her family. RIP Mary.
Kitty Smith
12/23/2013
I'll never forget Mary she was an awesome teacher and I loved her a lot! My deepest sympathy. Oh she was my 8th grade teacher at Wilton in 1973
Deborah Maurer Hurd
12/23/2013
Sorry to hear of Mary's passing. I was fortunate to have her for a teacher in Wilton junior high. She was very good at her job. We learned and had fun at the same time. May God comfort you.
Rick Steffens
12/23/2013
So sorry to hear of Mom's passing, Brian & other family. My wife, Annette used to babysit you & your mother was one of our all-time favorite teachers. God Bless!
DOROTHY STEINBERG
12/19/2013
I AM SENDING A MASS OFFERING TO MELROSE CHURCH TO HAVE A MASS SAID FOR MARY. Melrose is where we all experienced spiritual blessing in our early life, I know Mary would like to be remembered with the most powerful prayer with a mass on the HILL<,, prayers Dorothy Curran Steinberg
Brian Scieszinski
12/18/2013
Thank you again to all my mother's friends and familty for their condolences and support. The followiing is the eulogy I wrote for my mother for the visitation:
First of all, I would like to thank everyone who came today to pay their respects to my Mother and to celebrate her life. I would also like to thank Dr. Karwal and Dr. Boarini who took time out of their schedules to meet with me and help our family make the best medical decisions for my Mother during her hospital stay. Lastly, I would like to thank the living angels at hospice who assisted my Mother and kept her as comfortable as possible in her last few days.
My Mother, Mary Angela Parenza, was born September 29, 1936 to Attilio and Amelia Parenza. She had five older brothers and sistersGinny, Ida, Yolanda, Joe, and John, whom she loved very much.
She was raised on the family farm and corner store in Melrose, Iowa. Growing up, she worked in the store and was known as a very hard worker. My cousin Angie has told me the highest compliment she could receive from her father was if she worked very hard or if she cleaned something very well her father would tell her she reminded him of Aunt Mary.
Mother graduated from Melrose High School a year early and went on to attend Marycrest College in Davenport, Iowa. She received her teaching degree from Marycrest. I had heard she won a beauty contest at Marycrest. When I asked her about that, she simply said It was only because the nuns felt sorry for her because her father had passed away. But there must have been something more than that to it because after Marycrest College she returned to Melrose where she taught high school home economics. I have been told by a number of the boys in her first class that the percentage of boys who signed up for home ec that year was at an all time high.
After teaching at Melrose, Mom taught at Lone Tree, Iowa; Wilton Junction, Iowa; and Newport, Rhode Island. She loved teaching and helping students. From time to time I would run into a former student of hers who may have recognized my last name. They would ask me if I knew Mary and I would tell them she was my Mother. Almost every time I had this conversation the next words out of the persons mouth were Your Mother was my favorite teacher. It almost became an inside joke to me when someone would say they had my Mother in school and I would bite my lip, instead of saying I knowshe was your favorite teacher.
We left Rhode Island to move back to Des Moines because Mom was homesick and wanted to be closer to her family. In Des Moines, she began working at JC Penneys where, at one point, she became a trainer for the new employees. She would tell me that was her favorite part of the job because she had a chance to help and teach again.
She retired from Penneys and shortly thereafter her husband, Jerry, retired as well. In their retirement, Jerry and Mom played golf and had many friends. The thing I will probably remember most about my Mom and Jerry is that during their retirement, you could count the time they were apart in hours as opposed to days or weeks or months.
My Mother was a great cook. As many of you know, no one ever left our house hungry. When my friends would come over, I would always tell them Make sure you tell my Mother youre full even if youre not because she would just keep bringing you food. After you told her you were full, she would say You could have a little ice cream or you could have a brownie and then she would bring a bowl full of ice cream or plate full of brownies. When you could eat no more, you would walk out carrying food. I never had any trouble convincing my friends to come to my house.
A story that I have rarely told that probably tells the most about my Mother is that following her stroke in the winter of 1990, she at first was not able to speak, had some significant paralysis and did not eat for a number of days while she was in the hospital. Fortunately, she recovered and was able to begin speaking. At one point, she mentioned to me how hungry she was and she couldnt wait to finally be able to eat real food again. When the time finally came, the person delivered to food. When Mom was about ready to eat, a nurse walked in needing to perform some tests. My Mother looked at the nurse and began offering her food to the nurse. This nurse didnt look hungry and probably hadnt gone very long without eating, but my Mom was more concerned about her than she was about herself. I think that story tells more about my Mother than any other story I could tell.
My Mother had a very strong belief in God. For the last few years, although she didnt leave her house much or travel very far, she would watch mass daily. In her most recent hospital stay, at one point she was not really able to swallow. The nurses were trying to provide her pain medicine by pill which she couldnt swallow. However, when a religious volunteer came to provide her communion, she was able to accept the host. It was the last solid food I saw her eat.
While we were at hospice, a social worker came and talked to Jerry and me. She asked what else my Mother wanted to do before she died? Where else did she want to travel? What else did she want to buy? When I thought about it, there really was nothing else Mom wanted to do that she had not already done. I can never remember her saying I want to go here or I want to have this. It was always about what she could do to help someone else. What she cared about most was her family and friends and taking care of them.
At the end, she didnt want anyone to know she was the hospital because she didnt want anyone to be burdened with her problems or have to worry about her, when what was most important to her was caring for and trying to help others.
Mom will be greatly missed and always loved. I love you Mama.
RoseA Curran Vestal
12/17/2013
Mary was my Home Ec teacher & we loved her. She was an excellent teacher & role model. In sewing class we students had to make an outfit & she had a rule that we had to wear it to school at least one day to get a grade. I think of her often--thought of her as I was teaching my granddaughter how to thread a sewing machine (Mary taught me)--think of her when I bake-telling us to cream the sugar & shortening real well before adding other ingredients. She was one of the best. RIP dear Mary ..and prayers to her family.
Dorothy Curran Steinberg
12/17/2013
Mary was my classmate and very dear friend. I will miss her wonderful emails, Mary modeled how we all should live, She had a deep gift of faith and shared with others,Mary had a work ethic like no other , She told me one day that my dad always gave her a tip when she helped fill his car.. on his many trips to buy cattle. She left us all a legacy from the corner on 34 to the illness she fell heir to and embraced the illness with God at her side all the way .... I am so glad I knew Mary. Dorothy Curran Steinberg
Priscilla Peterson
12/17/2013
Jerry & family,
I am so sorry to hear about Mary.
She was one of the very best at JCP! You are in my prayers.
Kim (Duffe) Andresen
12/17/2013
Mary was one of my favorite teachers in my hometown, Wilton. She became a friend when I became a teacher in Des Moines. She was such a wonderful person. She raised a wonderful son, Brian, and I was glad to get to know Jerry. She'll be missed.
Terry and Nancy Brauch
12/16/2013
We are so sorry for your loss. Mary was a great lady who was always so sweet and friendly with everyone. May God give you the comfort to know she know longer suffers.
Dave and Kate Payne & Family
12/16/2013
Mary was a wonderful, sweet lady who would always welcome you to her home with open arms. We loved her food. She was a great cook. She would always give you a hug and say, "God bless you." Now she is a beautiful angel. God bless you Aunt Mary. Love and hugs to Uncle Jerry and family.