Beatrice Miller

Beatrice Miller, age 86, retired RN, longtime Fairfield resident, passed away Friday, April 25, after a long illness. Born Beatrice Carlson in Brooklyn, N.Y. to Louis and Nettie (Rosen) Carlson on Nov. 10, 1927, Beatrice was a registered nurse who worked
for many years in New York City and later in Fairfield County. Beatrice started her career with the New York City Visiting Nurse Association and taught prenatal health classes. She was also a private-duty nurse at Columbia (later New York) Presbyterian Hospital. In Connecticut, Beatrice was a nurse supervisor for several home health-care agencies and later was a consultant for the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company until her retirement in 1992. Passionately interested in nutrition and gardening, Beatrice was a member of the Fairfield Organic Gardening Club in the 1970s. She loved art and literature, and was an enthusiastic user and supporter of the Fairfield Public Library. After her retirement, she volunteered to work with special-needs children in local schools. Beatrice held a master's in nursing education from Columbia Teacher's College in New York and a bachelor's in nursing from New York University. After graduating from George Washington High School in Manhattan, she became a registered nurse at King's County (N.Y.) Hospital through the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps. She married William D. Miller in 1956, and they lived in Manhattan before relocating to Fairfield in 1971. Beatrice is survived by her husband and her children: Bruce Miller and his wife Lisa Figlioli of Cos Cob; Nancy Bea Miller and her husband Paul Downs of Narberth, Penn.; and James Miller and his wife Lisbeth of Stamford. She also leaves eight grandsons: Peter, Henry and Hugh Downs; and Michael, Nolan, Garrett, Hayden and Jordan Miller. Her siblings Eugene Carlson and his wife Nancy of Toms River, N.J., and Michelle Carlson Rutman of Coram, N.Y. also survive her, as do many nieces and nephews. A sister, Sylvia Carlson, predeceased her. A funeral service will be held Monday, April 28, 2014 at 1:30 PM in the Spear-Miller Funeral Home, 39 S Benson Rd., Fairfield with interment to follow in Lawncroft Cemetery. Friends may call in the funeral home from 12:30 PM up until the time of the service. Donations in Beatrice's name may be made to the Friends of Fairfield Public Library, 1080 Old Post Road, Fairfield, CT 06824. To sign an online guest book please visit www.spearmillerfuneralhome.com.