Martha Ann Miller

Martha Ann Miller, age 83, formerly of St. Mary’s and Piqua, was born Martha Hamilton on August 2, 1940 and raised in Norton, OH. After an extremely difficult childhood, at age 18, Martha bravely fled to the YWCA in downtown Akron.

Employed at Ohio Edison, she met aspiring electrical engineer Richard Lee Miller. They married on October 31, 1959 and together raised two children, Kenneth (Tammy) Miller and Kimberly (James) Gorrell.

The family of four enjoyed years together boating on the Allegheny River and Lake Erie. Many family friendships which began in the 1970s on Catawba Island remain strong to this day.

Their work hard, play hard lifestyle taught their children how to achieve success while enjoying life. After they raised their kids, the couple followed their dreams, traveling by car, train, and boat all over the United States as Richard built a career in St. Mary’s as an electrical consultant for GPD Associates and then the city of Piqua as Power Systems Director.

Preceded in death by Richard in 1999 in Piqua, Martha returned to Akron, purchasing a home in 2001 in the Highland Square neighborhood. There she spent the next 20+ years pursuing her passions of home renovations, gardening, and grandmothering Olivia, Jacob, and Dylan Burt. Martha leaves behind many special people she touched over the years including Lisa Taylor of Piqua, lifelong friend Joann Pearce, and Joy Burt.

Martha is survived by brothers Michael (Rosemary) and Dennis (MJ) Hamilton, sister Helen Fluharty, and brother in law Larry (Debby) Miller. She looked forward to being reunited with her husband and her mother in law, LaVerne Miller, who with grace took Martha under her wing when she needed it the most as a young adult and mother.

May her unique, kind, generous, creative, hardworking, faithful spirit live on in all whose lives Martha touched. She lived fully, loved fiercely, and with joy daily as she opened her heart to those around her.

Special thanks to Hannah, Jen, Jamie and Jeff, the Traditions Health Hospice care team who provided comfort to Martha and her family in her last weeks. She passed peacefully at her home on Thursday, May 16, 2024 with her daughter by her side.

Martha leaves behind her "babies," her devoted rescue dogs, Chewie, Pip, and Otie as well as special foster dog, Dita. Shy Dita chose Grandma Martha as her favorite human, providing each other great comfort in her final months. Martha spent her final years loving and nursing countless foster dogs on their journey to health and forever homes.

Per her wishes, Martha has been cremated and a memorial will be hosted by Kenny and Kim on Friday August 9, 2024. The family will hold a private wake June 21, 2024 on the 25th anniversary of Richard’s passing.

Tax deductible donations in her memory may be mailed to ART, Akron Rescue Team, 634 W. Exchange Street, PO Box 22220, Akron, OH 44302. She was passionate about ART’s mission and served a three year term as secretary of the board.

Donations will be earmarked for services closest to her heart, the medical expenses of orphaned senior dogs. She was undoubtedly met by many ecstatic dogs as she entered the next life. She made a huge difference in so many lives! Human and canine.

Please enjoy a piece of cheesecake or a butter pecan ice cream cone in her honor. She excelled at making cheesecakes for her loved ones and Mary Coyle’s butter pecan ice cream was her favorite.

We all love and miss her tremendously. Life will never be the same but we will make her proud by continuing her legacy of loving service to others.